Tag Archives: self care

It’s almost #GeSHiDoMo time! – 2018

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learn to manage my time, short course in goal setting, practical tips for time management, #GeSHiDoMO challenge

“Ninjas don’t wish upon a star, they throw them.”
~ Jarius Raphel

“While others were dreaming about it – I was getting it done.” 
~  Nathan W. Morris

 

As the year races towards December are you shaking your head at the list of tasks you’d hoped would be done by now? Here we are in the final quarter of 2018. It’s a great time for planning for the year ahead, and a very good time indeed for getting stuff done. Which is handy, because it’s almost #GeSHiDoMo time. Some of you will remember that last year we ran a month-long challenge called #GeSHiDoMo. It was such a success that we’re doing it again!

Join Our Thirty-Day Challenge Here!

#GeSHiDoMo stands for ‘Get Sh*t Done Month’ – and I am dedicating the month of November to #GeSHiDoMo, so that we can arrive at December with a bunch of stuff ticked off and completed.

Maybe you’ve got a goal you wanted to achieve, and now Christmas is almost here and you still haven’t made much progress. Perhaps you’ve got a To-Do List as long as your arm, and nothing finished yet. You might have One Big Thing, or a mass of smaller and unrelated things, or maybe you’ve wrecked yourself this year trying to get all the things done and your self-care has fallen by the wayside.

That, my friends, is why I have created #GeSHiDoMo. Whether you have a lot to do, a problem with organising and motivating yourself, or if you actually need to schedule some time-out, we’ve got you covered.

how to smash goals in November, get some result by Christmas, help me meet my goals, help me get my life organised

I’m launching the #GeSHiDoMo challenge on Sunday 28 October. The program is online, which means that no matter where you are you’ll be able to join in.

What will you get when you join #GeSHiDoMo 2018?

  • A #GeSHiDoMo Planner workbook to download. This Planner will help you to create your goals and tasks to complete in November. You’ll be able to work out what your priorities are and what kind of #GeSHiDoMo Ninja you will be. Based on your Ninja ranking you then get a proper system for organising and completing these tasks, so you can finally Get Sh*t Done.
  • #GeSHiDoMo Bingo Sheets – sounds crazy, I know, but wait ’til you see them. Suddenly getting organised has become fun!
  • #GeSHiDoMo Weekly Planner Sheets – if you’re not a Bingo fan, if you’ve got a mass of stuff to do or easily move into overwhelm, or if you are a List kind of person you’ll love this approach to Getting Sh*t Done.
  • Access to our exclusive Facebook Page and Community, where this month of madness will unfold. It will be a place where you can share your progress and support each other. Everything we teach will happen on the Facebook Page.
  • Weekly videos to help you start strong and keep going.
  • Facebook Live events where I will coach you and answer your questions.
  • Daily motivational tips.
  • Heaps of very cool competitions.
  • Super-Ninja fabulous prizes!!!
  • An Awesome Certificate of Completion if you get Get Your Sh*t Done by November 30.

join a positive community and meet my goals, cheap coaching for reaching my goals, Nicole Cody online courses

Interested in becoming a #GeSHiDoMo Ninja? Click HERE!

To join #GeSHiDoMo will cost just $33 Australian for the month. (That’s about $24 USD).

 

Here’s what some of our participants had to say about  #GeSHiDoMo Challenge:

  • Loved #GeSHiDoMo 2017. The group interaction and Nicole’s support. It was inspiring and the bingo sheets with my own diary system worked really well for me. Thank you to all xx
  • I loved this challenge and wish it ran more than once a year.
  • I loved it! I almost finished everything I set out to do, and realized I was trying to do too many things at once, which is something I need to get better about. Really enjoyed doing this exercise. Thank you!
  • It was so much fun in the group and so motivating and a super idea, thank you so much.
  • Loved this! Halfway through the challenge I changed the things I wrote on my bingo sheet and I went in a different direction. It made me realise things are so much easier when they’re broken down into bite-size pieces. So, Thank You. A great life lesson!
  • It was very uplifting to be a part of this group. The videos and live events kept me motivated, and I loved watching everyone’s progress. A very honest and kind group who helped each other over the finish line. I learned a lot, and got heaps more done than I had thought I would.
  • I finally found time for me, and ended the month rested and with some healthy and supportive routines in place. No more burn-out for me. Thank you x
  • Let me do it again. …I’ve been so productive!

It’s almost time to #GeSHiDoMo – See you soon!

Love and encouraging hugs, Nicole ❤ xoxo

Yep, if you have scrolled all the way down to the bottom of the page looking for the link to join here it is again! Join #GeShiDoMo here

PS – YOMMERs and YOMpreneurs

Happy News! If you are already a member of my Year of ME or one of our YOMpreneurs it’s free to join! You’ll be automatically added to our Facebook Group and the downloadable files will be ready for you to download.

 

Energies of October – 2018

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“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.”
~  Blaise Pascal

Hello, Lovelies :)

October  brings  our  focus  back  to  our  home  environment,  our  heart-space  and  our  soul’s  journey.  We’ll  feel  a  need  to  nest,  to  clean  and  beautify  the  spaces  where  we  spend  most  of  our  time  (this  could  be  your  body,  home,  work  or  even  your  car!)  and  to  have  to  hand  the  things  we  need  to  make  our  time  in  these  spaces  comfortable  and  productive.

 It  will  also  be  important  that  these  spaces  reflect  who  we  are,  and  who  we  are  becoming.

Cards for the Month:

I’ve chosen two cards for October for you: one from Colette Baron-Reid’s Enchanted Map and one from Steven Farmer’s Earth Magic Oracle. Please note I don’t use these cards in a conventional way, but rather as a stimulus for channeled information.

Here is what I have received from each card:

“When you want to hurry something, that means you no longer care about it and want to get on to other things. I just want to get at it slowly, but carefully and thoroughly, with the same attitude I remember was present just before I found that sheared pin. It was that attitude that found it, nothing else.”

~  Robert M. Pirsig

It’s  a  time  for  inviting  people  into  our  heart-spaces,  and  for  deepening  our  soulful  relationship  and  connections.  This  could  be  candlelit  dinners  with  a  romantic  partner  where  you  talk  about  your  hopes  and  dreams,  it  could  be  time  spent  planning  an  important  trip  or  a  life  goal,  or  even  a  backyard  picnic  with  friends  reminiscing  about  the  good  old  days  and  reaffirming  your  connections  and  shared  experiences  over  time.

Use  a  little  time  this  month  for  reflection.  Think  about  what  makes  you  happy  and  what  fills  you  up.  Find  ways  to  get  more  of  that  into  your  life.

The second card I’ve chosen is Gaia. 

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” 
~Deborah Day

No  matter  what  we  do  this  month  it  needs  to  be  in  alignment  with  our  soul  energy  and  truth.  Too  tired  for  connection?  Then  say  no  and  have  an  early  night  all  to  yourself.  Work  doesn’t  feel  right?  Tune  in  and  see  if  it’s  still  for  your  highest  good  or  if  it’s  time  for  a  change.  In  every  instance,  no  matter  what  you  are  doing,  take  a  moment  and  breathe  deeply  to  centre  yourself,  close  your  eyes  and  then  tune  in  to  your  body  –  your  energy  levels,  your  emotions  and  your  intuition.  Let  that  be  your  guide  this  month  and  always  as  we  move  forward  in  this  new  era.  It’s  time  to  be  more  aligned  with  yourself,  your  values  and  your  needs.

Best crystals this month?

Bronzite and Angelite

Bronzite promotes inner harmony, reduces worry and allows you to feel grounded, calm and safe. 

Angelite nurtures your soul, gifting you expansive connection and deep emotional
nourishment. A stone for revelations and insights about what is good for you.

Essential oils to support your journey?

Young Living’s Joy essential oil blend, or Orange and Lavender essential oils are my picks for October. 

Joy opens our hearts and tunes us in to our own inner wisdom and is uplifting, comforting and empowering. Dab a drop of Joy on your Crown Chakra, back of neck, over heart, on wrists and the soles of your feet, inhale directly or add to your diffuser. 

Orange essential oil helps us to see the possibilities for ourselves and our life and is reaffirming, uplifting and happy-making! It’s also one of the best anti-depression, anti-anxiety and anti-burnout oils I know! Use Orange in your diffuser or add a few drops to your bath. To bring a sense of tranquillity, optimism and safety to your home or workplace add equal drops of Orange and Lavender essential oils to your diffuser or your bath.

You can find the oils here.

Image from juicingforhealth.com


Wishing you a love-filled, satisfying and wonder-full October.

Lots of love, Nicole❤ xoxo

Teacup Oracle – For Life Guidance

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“Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?”
~ D.T. Suzuki

 

Will you join me for a cup of tea and a little magic?

Every so often I like to create an oracle for you. The very first one I ever posted was The Healing Power of Flowers and Fairy Blessings.  We offered a selection of flowers for you to choose from, and each flower came with a message – a mini-reading if you will. It was so well received that I’ve been creating oracles for you ever since.

Today I’m so pleased to offer you another of my Magical Oracles! This time, I’m offering a cup of tea to provide you with the wisdom, guidance and support you might need right now.

Instructions for using today’s post

Scroll down through the following teacup images and then let yourself come back to the one you are most drawn to.

When you have chosen your teacup, scroll further down for your oracle message. Trust that what you most need to know is exactly what you shall choose.

Love and Light,

Nicole ♥ xx

Let the Teacup Blessings Begin…

1. ♥ Violets Teacup

2. ♥ Blossoms and Birds Teacup

3. ♥ Everything Golden Teacup

4. ♥ Very Deco Teacup

5. ♥ Wonderland Teacups

6. ♥ Skull and Roses Teacup

7. ♥ Italian Lace Teacup

8. ♥ Peacock Teacup

♥ Your Teacup’s Message ♥

Each magical teacup has a message for you. I have also selected a crystal to best support the message and energies of your teacup.  You could wear or hold this crystal, pop it in your pocket, under your pillow or beside your bed. (If you’d like to know more about working with crystals click here) The Power Word is a word to remind yourself of the quality you most need and that you are strongly attracting right now.  You can turn it into your own personal mantra by saying “I choose ___________ ” (insert your Power Word). Your Magical Healing Environment is a place or activity you’ll find supportive and healing.

1. ♥ Violets Teacup You’re being so strongly supported by loved ones who’ve crossed over, and by your Guides and the Angelic Realms. Call on them for help and guidance, and know that you are deeply loved, even as you feel so alone. They have a message for you to let you know that everything, ultimately will be okay, and they are sending you strength, grace and love. ♥ Best Crystal – AMETHYST  ♥ Power Word – SUPPORT  ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Quiet time on your own to fill yourself up with nurture, to give yourself time to think and plan, and to learn from all of these lessons in your life.  It’s breakthrough time. You’re almost there!

2. ♥ Blossoms and Birds Teacup It’s a time of accelerated progress right now, and a wonderful time for both expanding and sharing your knowledge. Trust your abilities, and take small consistent steps towards your goals. Keep company with others from your tribe, and if you have no tribe, seek out like-minded people who can support you, believe in you and help you grow. ♥ Best Crystal – LABRADORITE  ♥ Power Word – KNOWLEDGE ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Places that allow you to develop your craft, your wisdom and your skill. This could be courses, seminars and conferences, books, teachers and mentors, journalling, dreaming and goal setting, or a room or studio where you work on your projects or study. It can also be you stepping up to be the mentor and teacher, and you putting your gifts out into the world. Embrace possibility!

3. ♥ Everything Golden Teacup  A time of turning corners, of new beginnings, fresh starts and remaking yourself and your life. You are being encouraged to actively create the life of your dreams. It’s your life, and you are worthy of every good thing, so step up and claim it. Situations are easing, there is support at ever turn, and you’re moving back into flow and abundance. ♥ Best Crystal – CITRINE  ♥ Power Word – RENEWAL ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Anywhere that supports your growing sense of self-worth. Look to positive friendships and relationships that make you feel good about yourself, to clothes and hair that allow you to reclaim your confidence, to trusted advisors and teachers who can support you in making all of these much-needed changes. Take yourself on outings to places and events that inspire and uplift you. Dream yourself a new life, starting today!

4. ♥ Very Deco Teacup  This is a time on your life where you can finally begin to see, with great clarity, both the truth of your current situation, and the best way forward. A time of inspiration, vision and sound decision-making. A time of great personal power, and of establishing sovereignty in your own life – a place from which all good things will flow. ♥ Best Crystal – CLEAR QUARTZ  ♥ Power Word – CLARITY  ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Time for planning your life, creating a vision board, or writing in your journal. This is a fabulous time for you to truly work out how you feel, and what actions and decisions need to be made to make your life more authentic and fulfilling. You’ll surprise yourself with how easily you step into your own power now!

5. ♥ Wonderland Teacups Friendship and helpful people is the theme of this delightful teacup. What you need most right now is good company – the company of a friend or lover, of family or your favourite pets, of new friends and old. Of like-minded people who can share your journey. And it’s also letting you know that so many of the things you enjoyed in childhood are still available to support you now, and to enrich your life. ♥ Best Crystal – ROSE QUARTZ  ♥ Power Word – FRIENDS ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Time spent connecting with friends Catch up with old friends you haven’t seen for the longest time. Have a cup of tea with the neighbour across the way. Organise coffee, a quick meal, a picnic or an outing. Join a group. Let your heart spend time on friendship, laughter, shared problems and shared joy. Love, laugh, live!

6. ♥ Skull and Roses Teacup  The message of this teacup is self-expression and self-care. Your soul is longing to be heard – it yearns for individuality, for attention to detail, for beauty and for art. You could find these qualities in nature, in architecture, in cultural pursuits or in your own creative expression. ♥ Best Crystal – FLUORITE  ♥ Power Word – INDIVIDUALITY ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Time that allows you to express or experience things that define you as an individual   Dress in ways that help you identify with your soul energy. Choose eclectic, individual, vintage, recycled and bespoke over mass-produced. Nourish yourself with culture and beauty. Spend time in beautiful, artsy or quirky environments. Embrace your uniqueness and be your best self!

7. ♥ Italian Lace Teacup You’re stepping into a delicious time of creative energy. Expect ideas, insights and innovation. Challenge yourself and the status quo. Travel and open yourself to new ideas and the joy of thinking outside the square. This is a magical time for you, and you’ll be strongly guided and supported in this space of creative flow. Plan adventures, and then go! Start something new. Get things finished – there are also powerful energies for completion here. ♥ Best Crystal – GARNET ♥ Power Word – INSPIRED  ♥ Magical Healing Environment – People and places that stimulate you  Travel, go to new places, even if it is just a coffee shop or restaurant. Plan holidays and major life changes. Embark on new projects. Make things. End things or finish things. Think bold thoughts. Believe in yourself and in magic!

8. ♥ PeacockTeacup This is a powerful time for healing for you right now. A time to get your body, mind and spirit back in balance. A time of drawing inwards for a while, in order to emerge renewed, healed, empowered and reinvigorated. Focus on your health and well-being. Pull back from stressful people and situations. Put your own well-being front and centre right now. It’s time for healing breakthroughs. ♥ Best Crystal –CHRYSOCOLLA  ♥ Power Word – HEAL ♥ Magical Healing Environment – Any place or person that nurtures your health  Give energy to your best healthy diet, stretch, spend time in nature, get that body moving, breathe deeply, get some sunlight on your skin, plenty of rest and consult practitioners who can support you on this journey back to wellness. You’re being supported to find healing breakthroughs!

Overwhelmed and exhausted? Check your boundaries!

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“Boundaries are, in simple terms, the recognition of personal space.” 
~ Asa Don Brown

I woke, overwhelmed and panicked, at 3am on Monday morning.

This isn’t usual for me. I’m by nature calm, centred and strong.

I knew part of why I was awake. An old friend had died the day before in an accident – and the news had left me shocked and upset. Apart from that I’ve got some pressing deadlines right now and I’ve had too much on my plate. We have ongoing family worries. Some of the people around me haven’t been carrying their share of the load, leaving me stressed and with more work to do and more decisions to make.

This is a week whose energies suit focus and mindfulness. I decided yesterday to revisit my priorities, to delegate more work, to clear a few more things from my to-do list or postpone them. I thought I’d sorted things out. I felt much better in myself.

And then I woke again this morning at 2am, crippled by anxiety.

Why, Nicole? I asked myself. What’s going on?

I meditated, which helped a little, and then sat down at my desk. And there was the problem…

Thirteen new facebook messages since 6pm with people asking for advice, guidance or support. Three of them serious, urgent issues. Twenty-seven new emails of the same nature. Six of those equally serious. Two urgent text messages on my phone. Somehow, over the past two years I have become an unofficial emergency help-line for my community and beyond.

It’s an avalanche of desperation, and I can’t keep up, although I have been trying.

As I deal with these urgent messages my own work is lagging behind, my own life is being relegated to second place. Or third. And none of that work is paid.

While I sat at my desk in the cold, lonely hours – overwhelmed by the pain of others, and my need to help everyone as best I could – I realised that my tank was almost empty. I’m neglecting my own relationships, needs and well-being to tend to the needs of others.

And I knew then what I needed to do.

I need to find a better way. A better way to help. Better boundaries for me. Some new fences and gatekeepers. A bigger team.

I knew I’d come to my truth because the sense of relief and clarity was palpable.

So this morning I’m asking you the same questions. Because I’m worried about you. Because I know you’re like me and you’re feeling it too:

  • Where do you need to build new fences?
  • Where do you need to create or maintain boundaries?
  • How can you find more time just for you?
  • What do you need to start doing differently, in order to make your life work better?

This is the only precious life you get – this one will never come again. And your wellbeing is tied to boundaries as much as it is also tied to living with an open heart.

I’m holding you in my prayers and meditations, and sending you so much love,

Please accept my apologies if I haven’t answered your message. I’m swamped. There is only one of me, and I just can’t keep up. Let me find a better way for us, okay?
All my love, Nicole ❤ xx

 

I Have A Present For You!

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Image from playbuzz.com

“Self-care is how you take your power back.”
~ Lalah Delia

Hello, Lovelies.

Are you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or completely over it all?

Congratulations! I’ve just gifted you a Free Pass. You might want to cut this out and store it in your wallet. You may also want to share this with someone else who would benefit from it.

This is a magical ticket. It allows you to decline a usual activity or responsibility, so that you may replace it with one of your choosing. Used responsibly, this magical ticket has been found to have restorative properties for Body, Mind and Spirit.

I’m using my own ticket this afternoon. I had planned a mass of admin work; catching up on emails, phone calls and filing. But I’m tired so I’m going back to bed for a nice big sleep after lunch. When I wake up I’ll decide how to spend the rest of my day. So far I’m leaning towards a bubble bath, soup and a good book.

PS – this ticket renews itself, so tuck it away after you’ve used it. Just knowing it’s in your wallet is often enough to get you through a rough patch. And when you really need it, it will be there for you.  Enjoy! ♥ xx

Are you taking care of you?

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 “Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” 
~ Deborah Day

 

Many of my friends are healers. They come from widely different schools and philosophies of healing – general medical practitioners, environmental medicine specialists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, herbalists, body workers, nutritionalists and all manner of other modalities. Over the past twenty years all of them have observed one thing; the number of people suffering long-term chronic illness, digestive issues, stress-related health issues and fatigue has soared. Not only that, many of the simple treatments that once worked so well for bringing people back into balance no longer are as effective.

Why?

There are many external factors – more exposure to pollutants and chemicals, little exercise, poorer diet, less sunshine.

But even when these things are addressed many people are slow to heal. I, and many of my learned practitioner friends, believe at least part of this is to do with the state of mind we are in.

There have been numerous studies done which show that when a person is relaxed the surface tension of their skin changes. Their blood pressure lowers, their heart slows, the chemicals responsible for sleep, blood sugar and hormonal balance rise and stabilise. In a place of relaxation people become more creative, more connected, happier, more adept at innovative thinking and problem solving. In a place of relaxation our bodies find it far easier to heal. It is impossible to think a negative thought when you are in a deeply relaxed state.

What does negative thinking have to do with my health?

Go ahead. Think of something that really makes you mad. Or powerless. Feel the changes take place in your body. You will feel heavier, there will be a sense of tension in your face and body. You may have a surge of adrenalin or a sudden draining away of energy. Your heart speeds up, you may feel clammy and hot, agitated or ill. This is not your imagination – this is your body’s autonomic response to your thoughts. This is a natural reaction to perceived stress within your body. Worry, stress, fear, panic, over-thinking; this is what is stopping you from healing.

Over time, this sort of thinking has a destructive impact on the body. It exhausts our adrenals. It puts pressure on our thyroid and other parts of our endocrine system. Our liver becomes stressed and congested and can’t function as well as it used to as it deals with the flood of naturally occurring chemicals WE have created in our body through the stress response.

In this place of adrenal depletion we can become addicted to caffeine, energy drinks, sugar and carbs to keep us functioning.

The blood is always in our extremities as we ready ourselves to fight or flee (the stress response once again) so our digestion slows and becomes impaired. Even if we gain weight we may still be massively malnourished, and our body may struggle to absorb supplements, herbs and better food.

We may resort to anti-depressants or sleeping pills. We may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. Or we may just go through life exhausted, sick and not coping but needing to get up and get on with it each day.

Our sleep becomes affected, and that avenue of healing becomes further reduced. No matter who we see, or what we try nothing seems to work. Or it doesn’t work for long.

Sound familiar?

If you are living with stress and anxiety, if there is something or someone in your life, orfrom your past, that causes you to feel unsafe, inadequate, fearful, anxious, angry, resentful, or shamed… then it’s going to be an uphill battle to become well and stay well.

Positive emotions impact your health positively. Negative emotions impact your life negatively.

The longer a negative emotion is the ugly background wallpaper in your life, the more you get accustomed to it, but don’t be fooled. It will still be affecting you. And not in a good way.

Let me repeat an important point. It is impossible to experience a negative emotion when you are in a relaxed state.

What this means for your health is simple. When you are relaxed, your body can know healing. When you are relaxed your body can do what it needs to do to put itself back into balance, and to put you back into flow, connection and clarity.

So, by all means find yourself a skilled healer, a physician, or a team to put your body back together. But remember you also need to do your part. You need to take care of the housekeeping of your mind.

Do things that relax you. Practice meditation, yoga or tai chi. Listen to music. Go for walks in nature.Take the dog! Make time for YOU in your life. Do the things that give you peace. Find people, places and activities that nourish, validate and support you.

Let go of what no longer serves you in your life.

And if you need to, seek a counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist – someone trained in helping you undo what has bound you up in knots.

I know this to be true: When your mind can know peace, your body can know healing – or at the very least an improvement in pain levels and quality of life.

Honour your body, work with your mind, and live from your heart. Your body has an infinite wisdom, and that wisdom is free to reign when we are in a place of relaxation and ease. Do all you can to find or create that peaceful place within you. Healing can then be a natural flow-on effect of that energy.

Here are some guided meditations that may help you:

Nicole Cody’s Bee Breath Meditation
Nicole Cody’s Meditation for Inner Peace
Nicole Cody’s Guided Meditation for Reducing Stress
Guided Meditation to reduce pain and promote healing

Sending much love your way, Nicole ❤ xx

Being Okay With Where You Are

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“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” 
~ Lao Tzu

I’m still recovering from the flu, and gee, it’s taking muuuuuuch longer than I would have liked. On top of that I managed to pick up a vomiting bug because of my dodgy immune system, so that has meant a couple of useless days just as I was picking up again.

I have to be honest. Yesterday morning after a horrid night I was quite despairing. You know; tears of frustration, being totally over it, and yes – being down on myself too. I wanted to be writing. I wanted to be back at work. I wanted to be doing so many other things. I wanted hair free of knots!!! (Try lying in bed through fevers and misery for a month and see what that does to your hair – I know some of you completely get this because things like illness and depression are not friends to long locks…)

And oh the guilt I began to feel that here I was in bed. Again.

I didn’t stop myself feeling any of those things.

That never helps.

This is my truth. I’m getting better slowly. I’m frustrated. I had a less-than-great couple of days. It was okay to be in a bit of a hole.

It’s helpful to be able to be honest about where you are and how you feel. I had a cry on the phone to my sister. I had a cry with Ben. I had a cry with the dogs. After which I slept and slept and slept.

This morning I am doing better. In a week or so I’ll be back to doing all the things I had wanted to do. Meanwhile, I am where I am and it is what it is.

I realised a few years ago that I had bought into this crazy belief that I needed to be 100% on 100% of the time. Because of that belief I pushed myself relentlessly. No matter what my truth was. This perfection thing is all around us – on social media, in magazines and on television and in movies. It’s the expectation at schools and universities and in our workplaces. We’re not meant to have down days, sad days, sick days, ugly days.

Except that we all do.

We all do.

So my lovelies, the next time you have a down day or a sick day, the next day you feel like crawling back under the covers and not facing the day, extend yourself some compassion and know that it’s normal to not be 100% on your game every single day. Only robots and Stepford Wives do that. Everything else you see providing evidence to the contrary is a carefully curated lie. Please don’t buy into that!

A model’s self portrait in the style of the Stepford Wives by Christine McConnell

No matter what your current reality there is no point fighting it. It is what it is. Fighting against your truth is disempowering. You beat yourself up, lower your vibration and end up feeling even worse than you did before. It keeps you in the hole longer.

Accepting where you are at, honestly and without judgement, creates shift.

Don’t like where you are at? Accept that truth. Sometimes that’s all you need to do to create movement in a new direction and a lightening up of your mood and situation.

Don’t want to keep living this current version of yourself? Decide to change it. That’s not fighting it, that’s empowering yourself to move in a different direction. Wanting to change and then deciding to change still honours where you currently are and that’s so important for self-love and self-acceptance. Affirm to yourself I am where I am but I can change. 

No matter our current situation and how difficult things are we still have choices. We change emotionally, intellectually, spiritually or physically. That knowledge can be a life-raft, and it can open doors to new possibilities.

Self-acceptance is, in itself, a powerful force for change and for creating flow.

Sending you love and hugs, and holding you in my meditations, Nicole ❤ xx

10 Ways To Be Kind to Yourself

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“There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.“  ~ Brian Andreas

Mostly when we think of kindness, we think of how we can act towards others. But today I want to focus on another equally important type of kindness – that which we extend to ourselves.

Too often we forget ourselves in the hurry and bustle of the year, and many sensitive souls get so busy looking after others that they forget to look after themselves at all.

Why not let 2018 be your year of aware self-care?

Here are ten simple acts of kindness you can give as gifts to yourself:

1.  Eat well – a simple, nourishing home-cooked meal eaten slowly and with appreciation – to replenish your body and comfort your soul. If there’s no time for cooking, have some healthy take-out options already thought through so that you don’t succumb to junk. (Pictured below is my Easy Kale and Orange Salad with Miso Dressing)

2.  Say no when you’re too tired.  No-one can run on adrenalin forever.  Honour your feelings and your own needs. Listen to your heart. Let yourself rest.  Replenish those batteries.  * Good advice here:  Are you too nice? 

3. Indulge in some self-maintenance.  Get your hair cut, have a massage, update your wardrobe or make that appointment with the doctor or dentist. For more info try 8 Ingredients for Better Health

4. Move your body! We were designed to move, and exercise is good for the body, mind and spirit. Choose an activity or sport that you enjoy, or simply go for a walk.

5.  Read a book.  Self-help, romance, educational, escapism, fantasy or non-fiction.  Reading is a wonderful way to take some time for yourself, to relax or to give yourself a mental stretching session.

6.  Make time for the things that you enjoy.  Indulge your hobbies, and connect with like-minded people who share your interests.

7.  Spend some real time with people (and creatures) you love!  Friends, family, pets – everyone who loves us and who makes us feel good about ourselves.  Social isolation is an insidious thing – facebook and texting can’t make up for that special energy of meeting up face to face for love, hugs, and laughs.

8.  Spend a little time dreaming…  Dreams aren’t just for kids.  Everybody needs a dream.  Try this great journalling activity: Writing Yourself into a Brighter Future

9.  Hang out in nature.  Spend the day or a week! Feel the sun at your back, the wind in your hair, the rain on your skin. Let nature fill you up and get you grounded again. Read more here: The Healing Power of Nature

10.  Ask for help.  Sometimes we just can’t do it on our own.  And sometimes we just don’t know what to do or where to start. On the days when we’re wrung out and hanging on by our fingernails, there will be someone out there who cares and is in a place where they can extend that guidance and support to you.  Asking for help is one of the greatest acts of kindness we can give ourselves. There’s more on this here: Sometimes your only job is to ask for help

You are worthy, beautiful, and you deserve love and kindness. Most of all, you need it from yourself.  The way we treat ourselves sets the tone in the wider Universe for how we expect to be treated. And our expectations have a way of manifesting…  Choose kindness!

Bless.

Much love, Nicole ♥ xx

Are You Protecting What Matters? – Monday Oracle 19 March 2018

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“If you want to live an authentic, meaningful life, you need to master the art of disappointing and upsetting others, hurting feelings, and living with the reality that some people just won’t like you. It may not be easy, but it’s essential if you want your life to reflect your deepest desires, values, and needs.” 
~ Cheryl Richardson

 

Hello, Lovelies!

March is a month for relationships, commitment to what matters to us, and for being unapologetically ourselves. The more we stay true to ourselves in March the more we will be able to manifest profound and/or quite magical changes! Keep that in mind as we look at the gifts of awareness which the oracle card The Three Little Pigs brings us.

Do you remember the story of The Three Little Pigs? They were terrorised by a wolf who was threatening to eat them. The first pig built a house of straw, and the second a house of sticks but both of these places, which should have been safe zones, were destroyed by the wolf who huffed and puffed and blew them down. Those two pigs ran for safety to the house of the third pig, who had built his home of bricks. The wolf couldn’t blow this house down so he tried to trick the pigs into coming out.  Finally he gained entry to the house via the chimney but the pigs had built a fire and placed an enormous cooking pot of boiling water in the fireplace. Through their own cleverness and strong boundaries the pigs remained safe.

This week the Three Little Pigs Card reminds us about having good boundaries. March is a month for being with the people we love, doing what matters to us, and committing to what is important in our lives. Do you have time for yourself and your relationships or is work taking all of your time? Can you pay the bills each month or is debt consuming you? Are people in your household or at work pulling their weight or are you doing everything yourself? Is there any time and space in your life for your hobbies and interests? Do you get enough ‘alone time’ to be by yourself or to work on your art  (whatever that may be)?

It’s a great week for creating strong boundaries in our lives. It’s a week for standing up for what we value and believe in, and for being a voice for those who do not have one. It’s also a week to put our house in order – making sure that our paperwork, insurances and licences are current and that we have smoke alarms, doors that lock properly, strong passwords on our internet accounts and anything else that makes our home, loved ones, possessions and intellectual property safe and secure.

Three Little Pigs heralds a practical week where we can bring our lives into better alignment with our values, and where we can make real changes to create calm, safety and space for ourselves. We are reminded that it is worth placing effort and time into building ourselves a strong and secure future.

Supportive crystals this week?

Black Tourmaline (pictured) helps us set and uphold strong boundaries, and supports us when we feel uncertain or fearful. Clear Quartz amplifies intuition and our ability to tune in to Universal and Personal Wisdom. Use it to get clear about what matters in your life! Amazonite helps us to live bravely, defending and protecting what is important to us. Red Jasper is a stone for mental, physical and emotional rejuvenation. Deeply grounding, it helps us connect to our heart and our truth and encourages a sense of safety. 

Black tourmaline

 

Helpful essential oils?

I’m loving Young Living’s Valor again this week. It has a woodsy, calming fragrance that immediately soothes me and helps me to feel grounded and strong in myself. Place a few drops on soles of feet, wrists, over heart, throat and back of neck to help you feel calm, empowered and safe.

Want to make your own blend? Each of these oils work well together or on their own: Lavender keeps us in flow and relaxed, Orange is uplifting, busts stress and helps us overcome self-doubt, Vetiver helps us feel safe and grounded, and reduces anxiety. Ylang Ylang opens our hearts and is supportive when we feel anxious or overwhelmed. To diffuse add 2 or three drops of each oil to your room or personal diffuser. You can find the oils here.

 

Holding you, as always, in my thoughts, prayers and meditations, and intending for you a life of abundance and joy, where you are no longer limited by your doubts.

All my love,

Nicole ❤ xx

PS: Monday’s oracle card, ‘The Three Little Pigs’, is from the Inner Child Cards – A Fairy-Tale Tarot. I use any cards shown as a prompt for channelled messages and my own own intuitive wisdom, so my take is sometimes quite different to the meaning found in a book. 

 

It’s a Fairy Forest here at the farm!

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“Few humans see fairies or hear their music, but many find fairy rings of dark grass, scattered with toadstools, left by their dancing feet.” 
~ Judy Allen

We’ve had a furious amount of rain here at the farm these past few weeks. Everything is damp and waterlogged, but green green green!

On my morning walk I marvelled at the fungi forest in our paddocks. Mushrooms of every shape and size.

The one in the picture above is the size of a dinner plate.

And these tiny delicate ones are covering the trunk of the fallen coral tree like lace.

Soon enough they’ll all be gone, so I am enjoying their magic while I can.

How about you? Can you slow down a little today, or over the weekend, and take yourself for a walk in nature? Who knows what you might find, what inspiration could come to you, or what you might learn about yourself and your feelings.

I can highly recommend walking. After our retreat I rushed straight into a busy week of medical appointments in the city and the stress of supporting family members. It was so good to come home yesterday and decompress by spending some quiet time in nature. Walking helped me come back to centre, release my stress and reprioritise what truly matters so that I don’t get caught up in external dramas. Maybe you will find that kind of peace too, if you walk long enough. If long walking’s impossible a short gentle stroll or even sitting outside in nature with a quiet and watchful eye can be enough.

Biggest hugs and love, Nicole ❤ xx

A miniature city of mushrooms

There’s almost nowhere to walk – with mushrooms everywhere under my feet

Perfect umbrellas for fairies!

Lace-like and delicate. For fairy dresses perhaps?