The Energy Mission!

Yes, I am on an energy mission!

My results are through and basically, I am stuffed! Here I am thinking I am pretty healthy as I eat fresh foods, hydrate, exercise, take vitamins and enjoy champagne. However, there are some factors in my health that need improvement immediately....they are: I need a huge boost of iron, vitamin d, along with an overhaul on my digestive system and an upload of new hormones. Oh, and I need to learn to pause!

It has been an interesting journey thus far...confronting, to say the least!

Recently, I read a book about Quantum Wellness and found a quote that resonated with me. It read...
"We just cant leave our energy free to roam at will or it will just fall into whatever is crying out the loudest. To be alive, we have to recognise the choices we are making and make better ones". Yes, its as simple as that.

My naturopath asked me to write an essay on "Pausing" to ensure I really understood what it meant and to find a way in my life to implement this important part of living. I am excited to say that meditation is now part of my daily ritual and the word "pause" means more to me than ever before.

This is only the beginning of my journey and I know my renewed energy will increase on a daily basis.

If you are interested to go on a mission to reclaim your energy, wellness and healthy life, my naturopath, Heather Elliot is available to help you. Her email is heather@insideouthealthcare.com.au.

You deserve it!

Meditation & Motherhood...Who has time? You need to find time...

I love this photo......for many reasons...1. I admire a woman who can chill in any situation 2. Regardless of the mess around her created by kids, the woman can breath, relax and meditate and 3. Meditation is possible in chaos.

As you may know, I am working with a naturopath to find my energy. I have had the body scan and the bloods. I will post an update end of the week, it is all very interesting.

One of the areas, we are working on, is meditation and being still. Very hard for a woman who is on the go from the minute she wakes up. I asked my naturopath "How on earth do I go from being "on" all day and then stopping to sit cross legged and meditate, then get back up and be "on" again. Her reply "You need to learn how to "Pause". Women are either on or off, there is no in between, which is the secret to balance and energy". I slouched back in my chair, guilty as charged.

So, after some thought, I put a plan together and it's working! Here are the reasons why I avoided meditation in the past:

• I can't sit still for more than 1 minute without feeling I need to be doing something else
• My mind would fill with everything I needed to do after the attempt of meditation
• The voice on a meditation CD would shit me to tears
• A kid would find me and ask me for a drink or something to eat
• I could not turn off to just sit and meditate in the middle of the day

So, I went to the library and borrowed 10 meditation CD's. I sat and listened to the first minute of the voice and chose a woman who will not irritate me. I then planned to meditate first thing in the morning by setting my alarm before any patter of the feet. I believed this idea would ease me into the day, give me the energy I need whilst everyone else is asleep (no interruptions) and my mind is not filled with clutter.

The first morning I tried this, I thought I would try the 20 minute meditation and in the back of mind, reminded myself that if I lasted a minimum of 5 minutes, I was doing more than my average score.

However, a magical thing happened! At the end of 20 minutes, I felt like I had been in my position meditating for a few short minutes. The time had flown. I felt lighter, happier and ready to take on the day. I was not sure if it was a mindset or the meditation. So, I tried it again and again.....now I have created a habit that I am excited to be sharing.

I know this might be extreme, but here are 100 reasons to meditate.....it may be worth your while to investigate:

Physiological benefits:
1- It lowers oxygen consumption.
2- It decreases respiratory rate.
3- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
4- Increases exercise tolerance.
5- Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
6- Good for people with high blood pressure.
7- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
8- Decreases muscle tension
9- Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
10- Reduces Pre-menstrual Syndrome symptoms.
11- Helps in post-operative healing.
12- Enhances the immune system.
13- Reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
14- Enhances energy, strength and vigour.
15- Helps with weight loss
16- Reduction of free radicals, less tissue damage
17- Higher skin resistance
18- Drop in cholesterol levels, lowers risk of cardiovascular disease.
19- Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
20- Decreases the aging process.
21- Higher levels of DHEAS (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
22- prevented, slowed or controlled pain of chronic diseases
23- Makes you sweat less
24- Cure headaches & migraines
25- Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning
26- Reduced Need for Medical Care
27- Less energy wasted
28- More inclined to sports, activities
29- Significant relief from asthma
30- improved performance in athletic events
31- Normalizes to your ideal weight
32- harmonizes our endocrine system
33- relaxes our nervous system
34- produce lasting beneficial changes in brain electrical activity
35- Cure infertility (the stresses of infertility can interfere with the release of hormones that regulate ovulation).
Psychological benefits:
36- Builds self-confidence.
37- Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour.
38- Resolve phobias & fears
39- Helps control own thoughts
40- Helps with focus & concentration
41- Increase creativity
42- Increased brain wave coherence.
43- Improved learning ability and memory.
44- Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
45- Increased emotional stability.
46- improved relationships
47- Mind ages at slower rate
48- Easier to remove bad habits
49- Develops intuition
50- Increased Productivity
51- Improved relations at home & at work
52- Able to see the larger picture in a given situation
53- Helps ignore petty issues
54- Increased ability to solve complex problems
55- Purifies your character
56- Develop will power
57- greater communication between the two brain hemispheres
58- react more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.
59- increases one’s perceptual ability and motor performance
60- higher intelligence growth rate
61- Increased job satisfaction
62- increase in the capacity for intimate contact with loved ones
63- decrease in potential mental illness
64- Better, more sociable behaviour
65- Less aggressiveness
66- Helps in quitting smoking, alcohol addiction
67- Reduces need and dependency on drugs, pills & pharmaceuticals
68- Need less sleep to recover from sleep deprivation
69- Require less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomnia
70- Increases sense of responsibility
71- Reduces road rage
72- Decrease in restless thinking
73- Decreased tendency to worry
74- Increases listening skills and empathy
75- Helps make more accurate judgements
76- Greater tolerance
77- Gives composure to act in considered & constructive ways

79- Develops emotional maturity
Spiritual benefits:
80- Helps keep things in perspective
81- Provides peace of mind, happiness
82- Helps you discover your purpose
83- Increased self-actualization.
84- Increased compassion
85- Growing wisdom
86- Deeper understanding of yourself and others
87- Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony
88- Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation
89- Increased acceptance of oneself
90- helps learn forgiveness
91- Changes attitude toward life
92- Creates a deeper relationship with your God
93- Attain enlightenment
94- greater inner-directedness
95- Helps living in the present moment
96- Creates a widening, deepening capacity for love
97- Discovery of the power and consciousness beyond the ego
98- Experience an inner sense of “Assurance or Knowingness”
99- Experience a sense of “Oneness”
100- Increases the synchronicity in your life



source - http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/05/100-benefits-of-meditation/

Where is your Mumma's Retreat? Let's create one for you....

Don't you wish you could be here right now!!

Where is your retreat? It's different for all of us. I have girlfriends who retreat in their bathrooms with candles and wine. Others like to meditate, exercise, read in a favourite chair, drink tea in the sun, lay on daybeds reading magazines and others like to sew to create...for me, I retreat to my kitchen and bathroom. There is nothing more relaxing and fulfilling then cooking a dish and serving it to my family and friends. As well, as laying in the bath with bubbles, candles and trashy mags. Whenever I have been in these two spaces, I always come through the other side a happier mother.

Have a think where your retreat is? If you don't have one, here are some ideas to get you going....do yourself a favour and get on to it today:

• Your retreat should preferably be in your home - we spend so much time at home, that we need a space that we can go to unwind
• It could be your garden, your kitchen, your bedroom, a quiet spot in the house
• Develop a ritual - when you visit this special spot, light candles or an oil burner with relaxing oils, settle in and take some time for you
• Its important to visit your retreat at least 2 times a week at a minimum. Even if this means when all the kids are asleep
• Create a spot that makes you happy - maybe its cooking up a storm with no interruptions, maybe its laying in your bed with a great book. If you have a great spot in the sun, put a comfy chair there just for you
• If you are limited on space in your home, you can still have a little spot for you. Even if it is a shared zone.
• No mobile phones are allowed in your retreat space (I am trying too!)

A retreat is a place where you can stop running and escape the craziness of life as a mother. It may be hard to slow down the to-do list in your head, but even if you can just be in your retreat doing what you love, I truly believe you will visit more often.

Enjoy
x

Cooking with Kids - Warning - not when you are premenstrual!

This is my baby, Lukas. He was born to love food. From the moment he arrived into this world, food was his only focus. When he was a baby, he would shake with excitement at the sight of food. As a toddler, he would try every food given to him. As a kid, he loves eating, being in the kitchen, sitting at the table with the family for any meal and experiencing dining out. This photo was taken of Lukas eating his birthday meringue cake.

Cooking with kids can be testing, frustrating and messy BUT it also can be so much fun, educational for them, a great sense of achievement and a bonding session.

Just know that if you are pre-menstrual and limited on patience, leave it for now and suggest it in a few weeks when you are feeling back to normal.

When you are cooking with kids, its great for them to have their own utensils. Go to the $2 shop and get them a kit, as well as an apron.

Give them free for all to anything in the fridge and pantry. Let them create what they want. A few months ago, Lukas cooked a spaghetti and raw egg pie. He just loved cracking the eggs, cooking the spaghetti and stirring. Don't stress out if there is mess.....its all part of the fun! And part of the learning, every cook has to clean up after their mess.

Ask your kids to help you with preparing dinner (remember, not when pre-menstrual or trying to get dinner on the table in 2 minutes). They love to be involved and will be proud to show off the dish they helped create.

Food is what brings families together. Creating, cooking and eating is a great way to spend time with your family. Get them involved and enjoy it!

PS You may need a glass of wine to relax through this proposed idea.

Energy Update...."Do you have children" was the opening line.....

Ok, Mumma's out there, here is the update....

I had a full blood test done a few weeks ago and met with GP for the results last Friday. The GP I met with,  is one I do not see often and as she sat me done, she asked "Do you have children?". My heart stopped as I asked her "Am I pregnant?".....she smiled and said "No". I replied "Lucky, as I would be suing someone's arse if I was!" (husband had vasectomy 3 years ago.

The GP smiled and continued to explain that all my bloods were excellent. Although, my Vitamin D is too low and needs to be supplemented to avoid osteoporosis in older age, as well as my Iron. Other than that, she suggested to "look at my lifestyle". What does that mean!!!

Anyway, I am off for my body scan this week and to the naturopath on Friday to look at the summary of my health. Since seeing the naturopath last time, I have been eating for my blood type, which is what she suggested, and I have noticed a difference. Check out the website - http://www.dadamo.com/

I have also gone back to exercise with a routine. Not only has my health and energy motivated me to do so, but the thought of swimming in a bikini in 5 weeks time when we go for our holidays, has put a rocket up me to get moving!

Stay tuned.......

Hot Date with Husband? Can it be possible.....

When was the last time you had a hot date with your husband? Just the two of you. If you can't remember, you need to read this blog and commit to planning a special night.

Ahhh, I hear the excuses already! No babysitter, no money, no time, no connection or not sure where to start? Let's say, I can provide you with the solutions to your excuses and guarantee the result will be better than you expected.....

It's always been my focus and priority to have the balance in place with work and life, as well as ensure the practice of love languages (remember the book I mentioned a few weeks ago) is the foundation. Now, there are times where we don't see eye to eye or have arguments, but more often than not, our marriage is pretty solid. I truly believe a contributing factor is our date night theory.

Each week, we organise a date night for just the two of us. It may be sharing a bottle of wine together with a delicious cheese platter, watching a dvd in bed with hot choco, going out for dinner or whatever takes our fancy. The rules - no talking about kids, money or business.

It has been a major point in our relationship, especially if we are having the odd silent treatment or ongoing arguments, as we know that our date night is coming up and we are confronted with each other to sort it out. It also guarantees one night together to reconnect and have time just for us. There are weeks when we are buggered and are busy, but to not do a date night, is not an option.

So, here is my advice for you.....

1. Start with a date night - choose one night during the week that works for you both
2. Take turns in organising the date night - we alternate each week. Much better this way as its a two way commitment
3. If babysitting is tricky, keep your date night in your house when the kids are in bed. Kick off can be 7.30pm/8.00pm. If you kids are not in bed by 8pm, get it sorted so that they are for that one night.
4. If budgets are tight, that's fine too. Time together costs nothing. Grab a DVD for $4 (date night is a great movie to watch) or a nice bottle of wine for $10
5. Too tired! Get over it. You need to invest in your marriage. What you put in, you will get back
6. Too busy? Too bad. We are all stinking busy. To get the support you need in your marriage, you need to reconnect and be on the same page

More advice:

Babysitting - Last year my sister-in-law suggested that we swap over our kids for babysitting to give each other the chance for a kid free night. It is the best idea! We have no guilt when leaving our kids. They have a ball. Plus its nice to be able to pay back the favour. If you don't have family support in this way, find a neighbour or a high school girl to babysit for a few hours. They charge between $10 and $15 per hour. Its worth the 2 hours to get away

Money - Don't use this as an excuse. You can organise date nights at a minimal cost. There are so many great deals on at the moment. Join the database of www.spreets.com.au and www.cudo.com.au. Snap up an opportunity to dine at a gorgeous restaurant at a great price

No Connection - It's easy to have no connection with your partner. Sometimes you don't even realise it until its too late. However, if you want to change your marriage for the better, its time to step up and take ownership. Often the problem is lack of communication and living in separate worlds under the same house. A date night will bring back the intimacy, the communication and reconnection, which in turn, will bring back your marriage

So, all you need to do, is commit. Would love to hear your date night stories! Get creative, have fun and feel the difference. Enjoy!

Are women born bitchy?

It has made me wonder! Just before I get into this topic, a heads up on parenting....no-one told me that it gets harder on an emotional level as kids grow year by year. When they are babies, even toddlers, it's a different kind of hard. When they grow up, the are less dependent on you physically, but I have learnt that you are more needed for them emotionally.

Over the past few weeks, my daughter Hanna has experienced "bullying" first hand by an older student at her school. It really shocked us, as Hanna is a great kid with a very kind heart. When we first learnt of what had happened, we spoke with the school and more importantly, focused on Han's self-esteem and confidence. By gosh, it was hard work but worth every minute....

The school were fantastic and handled the situation very professional and caring. However, our concern was Hanna as she enters the age of 9 and being self assured to stand up to little girls who are down right mean and rude.

Well, our baby did! It took awhile for her to gain her own courage in her own time, which I had to be patient with on many levels. We just stood by Hanna and breathed confidence in her every day, gave her the tools to move forward and to deal with similar situations in the future. It has been a slow process...but tonight, I nearly burst into tears at the dinner table.

Hanna proudly told us that she had a meeting with the nasty girl and her teacher. She eyeballed her and told her what she did was not acceptable and then left the girl to be dealt with and sit in her sorrow. The smile on Hanna's face was priceless. It took alot of courage for her to stand up and confront the bully. We just hope that the little girl learnt a huge life lesson and takes the option of not growing up to be bitchy or a bully, as it gets you no where in life and we need more women to stand up and be proud to say "its not acceptable!".