goodbye 20's

Social media is flooded today with everyone making a big deal about it being the First of December.

Obviously, this is newsworthy because it's The First Day of Summer.

But for me it marks the end of Birthday Month.

Let's all take a moment of silence and let that sink in.


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B I R T H D A Y   M O N T H   I S   O F F I C I A L L Y   O V E R

Oh.. And yes - So are my 20's.

F U C K 

Birthday month consisted of a carefully orchestrated series of events to ensure I didn't lock myself in my house, and eat my feelings in darkness, whilst wallowing in self pity and questioning every single decision I have made in my life up until this point.

I have had the most incredible month celebrating life with my favourite people.

aka Birthday Month was a HUGE SUCCESS.

Laying poolside with a cocktail in my hand and the Balinese sun on my body, 

I took a moment (just one...) to reflect on the last ten years.

This pretty much sums it up - 

So, without too much emotion (hopefully...) here's a quick list of 

T H I N G S   I   L E A R N T   I N   M Y   2 0 ' S

• It is impossible to find happiness by doing things just because everyone else is.

• Nothing superficial has the power to fill the void of unhappiness. Binge eating and manic shopping sprees are the emotional equivalent of putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound.

• It takes two to tango. But only one person to leave the dance floor.

• There is no cure for the Travel Bug.

• Family is everything. Get to know your parents. Like, really know who they are as a person, rather than just as 'Mum' or 'Dad'. Sit with them and share a bottle of wine. I guarantee you will learn something new about them every.single.time.

• You can make fairly accurate assumptions about a person based on their shoes.

• Having goals and ambition is imperative. Fear of failure is a waste of time.

• Negative self talk is an epidemic. Everyone has insecurities. There is not enough emphasis or energy put towards positive thinking or support of others.

• Moving house is a pain in the ass... Unless you consider it as an 'adventure' rather than a 'chore'.

• Ignorance is not bliss. It is important to have an opinion. About music. Current events. Icecream flavours.

• It is equally as important to be willing to consider others opinions. I am not opposed to judging them later.. but only after listening to their justifications and considering their perspective. 

• White linen in your home creates a feeling of opulence akin to a 5-star hotel.

• It is Murphy's Law that when you have booked a 5-star hotel, you will be out all night and never actually sleep in the bed or enjoy any of the luxurious facilities; but when you have 'settled' for a lower standard of accommodation, you will spend more time in the hotel than you anticipated.

• Everybody has a story. Some people may never share it with you and that's their prerogative. Sharing your story with others is also optional.

• A self-preservation and/or self-development routine is imperative. Money well-spent on YOU is an investment. Facials. Gym memberships (if that's what you're into). Life coaching. Education. You are worthy of your own affection.

• Being in someone's wedding is not a contractually binding agreement that you will remain in their lives (even if it is your own....)

• Some of the most disastrous events/situations will make for a great story in a few minutes/days/months/years. Time heals all wounds. Eventually.

• Nobody else knows what they are doing either.

• Never say Never. Yes - I just quoted Justin Bieber. Watch this space for a new post all about my not-so-secret crush on this guy...

xx

birthday month 2015

Happy 1st of November!

Or as I like to call it -

Rather than look back, and recap my life, as I have done in the past...

(here, here, here, here. Interestingly I didn't bother with a post last year...)

I'm taking a different approach to Birthday Month today.

I ' M   L O O K I N G   F O R W A R D

Perhaps I'm somehow inspired by a terrible quote I heard recently,
which had something to do with looking back giving you nothing but a sore neck...

Maybe it's because I've got lots of exciting things on the horizon?

Or maybe I am finally getting wiser in my old age?!

This month I will say goodbye to my 20's; 

(EEK!)

And I have sooo many things for which to be grateful,

I'm not worried about 'The Big 3-0' at all.



xx

#IAmStigmaFree

Here's a little note to you and to me today;

in honour of 

M E N T A L   H E A L T H   A W A R E N E S S   W E E K

.:  5-11 October 2015  :.

D I D   Y O U   K N O W ? ?

 The average person tells 4 lies a day or 1460 a year; 

a total of 87,600 by the age of 60. 

And the most common is: 

I'm Fine.

"That's the stigma, because, unfortunately, we live in a world where if you break your arm, everyone runs over to sign your cast, but if you tell people you're depressed, everyone runs the other way. That's the stigma. We are so, so, so accepting of any body part breaking down, other than our brains. And that's ignorance. That's pure ignorance. And that ignorance has created a world that doesn't understand depression, that doesn't understand mental health."

xx

twelve things you would know about me ...

( ... I F   Y O U   K N O W   M E   A T   A L L )

O N E

I write a blog.

T W O

I stand in front of my freezer and eat icecream straight out of the tub.
Or tubs...
Let's be honest - There are multiple containers of various flavours to choose from.

T H R E E

I spend a lot of time at the beach. A Lot.
Running. Playing with Miss Emmy. Sitting. Thinking. Crying (!) Contemplating. Reading.
Rain, Hail, or Shine.
Because the beach is my happy place.

F O U R

My big sister is my bestie.
We are polar opposites; yet somehow scarily similar in many ways.
We communicate multiple times a day; 

Through text, old-fashioned phone calls, or social media -
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

F I V E

I light candles throughout my house every night. 

I like the warmth and ambiance of the flicker of a flame.

S I X

I don't seem like the 'Sporty Type' but I like to run. 

And I sometimes practice Yoga. 

And although I haven't done either for a while, I also like to ski - Water and Snow.

S E V E N 

I own an electric drill and a power sander.
I am quite handy around the house...
But I struggle to sew on a button.

E I G H T

I HATE wearing flat shoes. 

Unless I am wearing workout clothes with sneakers - I'm either barefoot or in heels.
Yup.. I wear heels on the weekend.

Flat shoes make me feel short and fat.

N I N E

I could give up watching television in a heart beat; 

But I would cry if you took the music off my iPhone.

T E N 

I sometimes eat chocolate and drink wine for dinner.

E L E V E N

I still believe a Pinky Promise to be a legitimate, binding, contractual agreement.
Thou shall not break a Pinky Promise.

T W E L V E

I sing in the car. 

Always.

xx

the power of the moon

Let me just start by saying - I'm not one of those people..

You know the kind of person who asks what star sign you are; 

and then reacts to your response with an - 'oooohh.. yes, that explains XYZ'.

For the record - I'm a Scorpio; and I'm stubborn.

Are the two intrinsically linked? 

I have no idea.

I also don't know which sign you are based on your birthday;

If you're an air or water sign;

Or you which traits are associated with Capricorns.

I wish I did.

And one day I might read those astrology books collected dust on my bookshelf; 

But for now, I look to my good friend Google to provide the answers.

And so, when I heard that today - 20 March 2015 - is one of the 

M O S T   P O W E R F U L   D A Y S 

of the year, I turned to said internet-BFF, to provide me with the answers.

And because I assume you're not one of those people either, I imagine you don't understand what it means that the New Moon/Solar Eclipse is in Pisces at 29 degrees...

So, let me break it down for you -

W H A T ' S   T H E   D E A L ?

A New Moon; and

A Total Solar Eclipse; and

An Equinox

W H E N ? 

Tonight at 7.37PM AEST

S O   W H A T ?

Each of these celestial events is said to be 'kind of a big deal' on their own.

So when combined - in an Epic Trilogy of Awesome - this creates very powerful shifts for our personal and collective transformations; and marks the time for breakthroughs.

If you've been looking for a change - The universe is about to deliver.

It is a profound time for new beginnings, for letting go of what no longer serves us, and embarking on new exciting journeys.

Think of this time as an opportunity to 'reset'; to be courageous; to take action on your inspiration.

The Super Moon is known to amplify feelings and emotions.

The Total Solar Eclipse symbolises potent new beginnings.

An Equinox allows strong creative energy.

~ ~ ~

Pay attention tonight and notice if your awareness is heightened;

or you discover you're experiencing a number of 'Aha!' moments in the coming days.

Or at the very least, do me a favour - 

Go outside;

Take a deep breath in;

Look up at the sky;

Admire the beauty of the night;

And take a moment to be grateful for something.

Anything.

xx

the secret life of emmy

**WARNING**

Shameless plug ahead.

Miss Emmy - My fur baby; Housemate; and daily entertainment - has joined instagram.

T H E   S E C R E T   L I F E   O F   E M M Y 

After years featuring as a special guest on my personal account, Miss Emmy has launched her own. Keep up to date with her daily musings, model-esque posing, and general cuteness.

xx

b a l a n c e

OK, we are now two weeks into The New Year (eek! Can you believe it!?)

So first of all - I want to thank you for your patience because I am slack with the "regular posting" thing; 

And secondly - I want to preface this post with an apology for writing about a topic you've probably seen plastered all over social media since the countdown and fireworks at midnight on NYE.

Choosing a word for the year ahead.

Click on the link above to work through Susannah Conway's process* and read more about the concept of intention setting if you'd like some guidance and further understanding of the exercise.

Or.. close your eyes (maybe read the rest of my instructions first...)

And think of a word that you'd like to tuck away in your pocket (or scream from the rooftops if that's more your style) that will encompass the next 12 months of your life.

There's no judgement involved in this activity. 

Infact, you needn't share this word with anyone if you would prefer to keep it to yourself.

This process (for me anyway) was about finding a word that 'fit'. A word I won't grow out of over the course of the year, as we transition through seasons. A word that neither felt heavy and full of burden, or weightless and insignificant.

So without further ado... I present to you

M Y   W O R D   F O R   2 0 1 5

B A L A N C E

To be fair.. I did ruin the surprise a little by giving it away in the title of the post.. But hopefully you'll forgive me for that too.

I don't think I can sufficiently explain why this is The One. 

But this theme will be key in every aspect of my life.

Imagine a set of old-school scales; or a see-saw in a playground... 

Too much weight/attention/focus on one side and the other is sent shooting upwards; uneven; neglected.

My commitment to balance in 2015 is about

Work vs Life

Spend vs Save

Give vs Take

Sensible vs Silly

Rush vs Relax

All vs Nothing

Yin vs Yang

xx

*In the interest of full disclosure - I didn't follow Susannah's 5-step process. But she seems to know what she's talking about, so give it shot if you feel you might benefit...