I keep coming back to here

I keep coming back to here. Every day if I can. At least five times a week of late. 

The sea reminds me to breathe full breaths. It brings me back to my breath. To one single breath. 

It reminds me that each moment is precious. And to feel all of me in this very moment. Not to think of yesterday's moments or tomorrow's. This moment. And then the next.

When I stand here with the sea, I feel all the more alive. Because here I am mindfulness. Sometimes only for a handful of minutes. Sometimes I'm afforded a whole lot more. But presence, regardless of the time limit, is what makes the difference.

I'm sharing today a round up of images of the sea I've taken in recent weeks. 

Notice how each is so different? Notice how the colours of the sea change each day? As does it's rhythm. 

I've tried to capture the beauty of the sea in my photos, yet none are similar and different aspects have stood out to me each day. 

Each time I pause to observe the sea, I find myself acknowledging how it presents on this day, connecting with its rhythm and giving thanks for it. I never judge the sea. I find beauty in the sea despite its actions, despite its rhythm, despite its appearance. There's a lesson in there. And it's so very applicable to me. 

As I breathed in the sea air this morning, I gave thanks for the me that simply showed up today. I gave thanks with gentleness, kindness and a loving heart. Without judgement. And realised this space feels new to me. 

So here I stand, committing to loving me better. Unconditionally. Stepping into my own power. With big nourishing sea breaths as encouragement. And as a reminder that this moment, this breath, right now is always the perfect time to begin. Again. 

xx

Do you love the sea too? Is my lesson a lesson for you? 

What actions do you take to nurture your heart and soul? To love your whole self better?
I'd love to know. Elisa x

>>>>> See here for what's included in my free mindfulness bundle, which is quite a bit and is looking a bit more mini-ebook worthy than bundle right about now..! I can't wait to share it with you! It includes a bundle of mindful ways + words + activities to encourage you to easily connect with your heart + the power of your amazing life breath. And next month it will launch! I'm just putting the pretty touches on it now :) Elisa x

Interrupt busy with slow

This year started off with the most wondrous of intentions. Intentions to move slowly, be grace, live purposefully, breathe with intention. And I'm not saying I haven't done all those things. To a wonderful extent I have. 

But then along came the chaos. The busy. I'm dubbing it "the scheduled life". When there's so much to be done, and so many commitments that all the moments seem played out in routine. It kills spontaneity. And it turns a slow and mindful rhythm into a routine. And to that mishaps and mess + throw in a tonne of winter colds and coughs. 

I felt it approaching a month or so back. I felt despair. And a whole lot alone and helpless in getting all the things done while carving out the slow, heart-centred rhythm that I need. {I've come to understand that slow and heart-centred is quite simply how I thrive.} 

To some extent, busy cannot be stopped. Maybe, like me, you have three young children. Or maybe, like old me, you have a busy corporate job that works to strict deadlines. It's hard to stop the busy when you simply have so much necessary stuff to be done. 

I've researched this very topic on a personal level for the past 10 years. Rushing and the stress that tagged along with it was making me sick. I needed the antidote to busy and rushing. And I have a conclusion: We need to be okay with some busy. Life simply demands it. But we don't need to become "busy". Busy doesn't need to be our state of being: our sense of self from the minute we open our eyes from sleep to the minute they close again at night. 

So, what to do?

Interrupt busy with slow. That there is my solution. And it's working. For me.

It means slowing down, and taking a dose of mindfulness to heart. But it doesn't mean becoming a constant state of slow and mindful. We can still be mindful and not practise mindfulness every single moment of our waking day. 

I say, begin with a handful of minutes. Or add an extra handful of minutes to your already mindful routine. I'm honestly talking about just a few minutes. And this isn't about setting aside time to be mindful. It's about choosing slow + mindful when your amidst busy. It's about noticing that busy pace, and choosing to interrupt it. 

I fold these mindful rituals into the everyday effortlessly. Because as well as slow and mindful, simplicity {for me} is key. 

RESET YOUR RHYTHM + When I'm running around in the mess that can be mornings with kids, I choose to step away from the chaos, step outside with my cup of tea. I savour those sips, I look to the sky, I breathe. I move slowly. Just for a minute, before joining the mess again. Albeit calmer and more mindful. 

LOOK TO NATURE + When I've had a busy morning or afternoon, I pull the car over by the sea* on my drive home. I step outside {or we step outside, as I almost always have children in tow} to watch the water, taking note of the rhythm the sea is moving to today, breathing deeply and fully, taking in that sea air.  

STEP OUTSIDE + I often choose to eat my lunch outdoors, especially if the sun is shining. I notice the feel of the sun on my face, it's warmth. I pause before eating to just breathe, to give thanks for this moment, my food, the sun's shine. I notice the sky's colour, the patterns of the clouds. I tend to eat slower when I do this. Eat more mindfully. I'm present.

JUST BREATHE + And when I simply can't make make my slow minutes an escape, I just take a minute to tune into my breath. I notice its pace. I listen to the inhalation / the exhalation. I invite myself to breathe deeper and slower than before, and to release that breath fully. I invite myself to move slower. To walk/speak/react at a slower pace. Just for a minute. 

To counteract life's busy, interrupt it. With slow. For me, it works.

xx

Will you give it a go? What activities help you stay centred and mindful in the here and now? I'd love to know. Elisa x

*Of course, not everyone lives close to the sea! But the sky is just as wondrous! Look to the patterns playing out across the sky from home or work, notice how it changes, notice how it's changed an hour later, tune into the rhythms of the sky as you could the sea. Just as expansive, just as mesmerising, ever-changing with the rhythms of life - as are we.     


--------- >> Learn about what's in my free mindfulness activity bundle for embracing slow + mindful, and tuning into the power of your breath here.  

--------- >> I have a new instagram account: @ohhelloheart xx

Oh, here I am. No longer on hold.

Ever sit back and think how'd I get here? When doing what simply needs to be done becomes your everyday, and then months later you find yourself doing that something you love and think "Here I am! This is me. I'm doing what I love, where time feels limitless, and my heart just knows how to soar!" 

Has this happened to you? The putting yourself on hold? And then you notice that limitless feeling when you're doing what you love? When you're doing whatever it is that puts you in your flow, where time is lost, where seconds join into one big heart moment and you realise that being you is enough. Always was. And then you wonder why you spent so long striving to do more of the everyday, but less of what you love...

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that at some point in the past year I put that part of me {my self nourishment, my creativity, my heart work} on the shelf. I could see it sitting there, but thought, "No, not today, not tomorrow, not now. I'm too busy with everything. No, you can sit right there and look pretty. I know you're there, but no, not right now. You can wait."

And the more that part of me that is my creativity, my soul, my heart {the part of me that I give best to the world} called out, the more I said, "Oh thanks for the reminder, but you'll just have to be a memory right now. A lovely memory, yes. But a memory because I'm too busy keeping a clean house, a happy home and nurturing my three little ones - best things to ever happen to me! And no you just don't make the cut right now."

And then people were asking me about my writing - Was I still writing? Why wasn't I still writing? And the whole while I was thinking but not saying, "Can't they see how busy I am?" 

And then somehow, by some trick of nature I ended up opening this part of me again by mistake. I said yes to a friend, "Oh, of course I can help out, share my words, share my wisdom..." when I meant to say, "No, I'm far too busy, and I've put that part of me on the shelf for a while..."

And so I reluctantly opened me up, and long behold the creativity hadn't dried up! Not one bit. It came pouring out, flooding actually. 

And here I am taking every moment I can to type or scribble away {letting my heart's words be free} ignoring my thoughts that suggest I should be doing something "useful", because it turns out this is the part of me that is meant to be free all.the.time. 

Last month {after weeks of consciously choosing to let myself write again} I woke up {that should read was woken up every early by three very-awake little girls demanding breakfast} and I noticed I felt renewed, so very alive. I knew instantly what had changed. I'd started writing again, writing for me, writing from my heart. As I walked into the kitchen, my miss six took one look at me, and her big brown eyes grew bigger, "You look different. Good different. I like it." And that's reason enough for me to continue giving space to this part of me. I like it too.

xx

Do you feel limitless when you create? What makes you feel alive? And have you done this before - put a part of you on hold? I do think at times other events take priority and we need to, but perhaps just not for too long... or perhaps this long was just enough? Elisa x

The day I learnt to breathe

Learning to breath again. It sounds ridiculous I know, because we arrive here in a breath. And this breath of ours keeps us alive. But somehow, someway, and at some point I stopped breathing fully. Instead I engaged in a lively, rushed, frantic, stressed (but I wouldn't have admitted that to you at the time) out-of-control, desperately-seeking-control manner that became everyday life. And although I loved so many aspects of this life, it was messy. The stress part was messy, the rushing that kept me in a move-on-to-the-next-thing-without-taking-a-breath pattern was messiest. And that rushing meant I never really slowed enough to just be and connect with the inner me, never stopped to just breathe. So so far from the me I am today. Yet I remember so well how she felt. It hurts to feel like she did, but in a numb kind of way. 

And it feels like one day abruptly it all ended. But it wasn't really one day, not at all. It was a mammoth crescendo that started with my body falling apart (in so many ways: back aches and spasms, a breast tumour then an auto-immune disease to be more precise) and the end (which was kind of the start of change) was an 80km/hr head-on car crash. That's the part I want to talk about, because that's when I learnt to breathe again. 

It was eight years ago now. I was the passenger, my husband was driving. A car pulled out from the t-intersection four metres in front of us. He hit the brakes but there was no time to stop. I was looking at him on impact and if I hadn't been the doctors said my injuries would be a lot worse. I normally always cross my legs in the car too, and I remember noticing how straight I was sitting and upright minutes before the crash - I remember thinking how good my body felt sitting so still and straight and wondering why I didn't always sit like this. Later the doctors asked if I was sitting perfectly straight, because to not break bones was almost impossible.

My injuries were minimal soft-tissue ones, scratches and cuts - the airbag saved me yet did most of the damage. My face swelled an extra half its size and was covered in cuts, blood and bruising - as was my chest. I just remember noticing all the blood, pouring out my nose, tasting it in my mouth and knowing I needed an ambulance. It was me who called the ambulance, moments later interrupted by a man asking what I was doing, then promptly telling me to rest because he could make the call. I thought he was awfully rude, I was in control and could surely make the call myself! And the minute that thought entered my head I realised there was no control to be had here, and surrender was necessary. All at once I let go, all at once I felt my body relax in trust - that I would be cared for, that someone else had the situation and that would be okay. There was no rushing to be done, just waiting and breathing. Breathing was really all I could do. And breathing was all I needed to do.

As we arrived at the hospital I found myself alone lying on a trolley in a neck brace and panic set in. My breathing got shaky and became too fast. I tried to look around for someone, for help, but the white ceiling was all I got. 

Then a hand on mine. Just breathe, she said. It's all you have to do. You can help your body and mind with your breath too - you can manipulate your breath. Breathe deeper, all the way in. And slowly release. Just breathe. Slow your breath down, so all of you slows down....

She was an ambulance officer and I so wish I could remember her name. In those moments of reminding me to breathe, she changed everything for me. I wanted to get to know my breath. I wanted to just breathe. And just be. Breathwork became a part of my everyday. It still is. It's a big part of the meditation I practice and it reminds me always of the beauty, wonder and healing that can happen in a solo breath.

xx

Do you remind yourself to "just breathe" each day?

>> Want to be the first to receive my free mindfulness prints and the "breathe" meditation eBook I'm currently writing? I can't wait to send them your way. You can sign up for them here. <<   

Sometimes

Sometimes there comes a reminder to walk slowly. To wait patiently, and to let go. 

Sometimes there comes an inner voice that says stop. Just stop. Right now. And for no reason. Because you don't need a reason. To set your own pace. 

And so you choose to stop. To press pause for a minute, or two or a little longer.

And maybe it's just to breathe. To breathe fully. Those really big breaths. The ones that can take you a little by surprise and remind you that yes indeed you are alive. 

And then you find yourself realigning with your heart as you inhale, and noticing seconds as you exhale. And suddenly you realise, it takes just a moment to stop, and just a moment for things to change. And that scares you. 

But maybe that's not such a bad thing because it gets you dwelling on gratitude. True heart-expanding gratitude. And it's in those moments of true thanks that you feel your heart speaking. And it's when you turn down the background noise, that you see gratitude exists in the right now, and right here. In what is. 

And you realise that with every breath in, and breath out comes opportunity.
To see things differently. To do things differently.
To say something. Or say nothing.
To kiss softly and slowly, like time is yours.
To linger longer when you hug goodbye.
To say what you've been thinking aloud.
To create a new habit. To let go of an old one.
To choose healing. To choose life.
To choose to see love. In you. And him. And her. And them. 

To ask how love would respond. Before you respond.
To seek joy. 

And so you decide from this moment on to make a little time within each day to just breathe. Or meditate. Or pray. Or read. Or write. To create. Or just be.

To do that thing that speaks to your heart the loudest. 

To choose solitude. And time together. 

To give thanks for today, and tomorrow. 

To listen. 

And to choose to see the beauty that exists in the ordinary. in the everyday. 

in every minute. and within every single breath. 

xx

{I've been away from the online world, and away from this space I love for two weeks now. Right when I felt I was ready to jump back in! And while life has been full of wonder, joy and learning, winter's done it's trick of sending me inward once again. And that's right where I've needed to be :) This post pretty much sums up my heart's thoughts right now, and now feels a good time to share. Something has shifted here, and I'd say it's no coincidence that a new season is on its way. Elisa xx}

What if...

Balance is such a funny thing. I've felt balanced and blissful this week, and then had moments of anxiety when I've needed time and space to be alone, to organise various work deadlines and things I have to do, to find my clarity, then just sit and be.

In those moments I'm often reminded first of my imperfections. I've felt uncoordinated, like I'm not doing a great job of anything and a tad overwhelmed too.

But if I flipped that, if I put my judgements of myself aside, perhaps I would see it as: someone working through her stresses and emotions, maybe I would see strength and commitment, perhaps I would see someone who is supportive and gives her all...

In my little girls' eyes, perhaps I would see a mother who gives an abundance of love, tries her best and brings kindness to each day...

I read this today: "If I could give you one thing in life, I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes, only then would you realise how special you are to me..."

And perhaps I skipped over the true point, because yes I see that it's about a parent and child and I so want my girls to clearly see their strengths and what makes them wonderful and unique... but my thoughts kept drifting to what if we all stopped for a few moments to view ourselves through the eyes of someone who loves us... what if we stopped to do that right now?

I did just that. And it changed my mindset in an instant. I'm hoping you'll give it a go too?

xx

{Image above of me and my girls taken by the talented Laura @ Perla Photography.}

{I'm not sure where that quote originally comes from or who it's by - if you know, love you to let me know so I can credit it please. Elisa x}

Looking up

Hand me a camera and I'll want to point it up straight away. Endeavouring to capture the wonder I see in the sky when I stop to just be each day. It's more than wonder I see though. Maybe because I'm an optimist.... 

The vastness, that expanse - it reminds me that I'm part of something bigger. It reminds me that there are endless possibilities and opportunities out there. That tomorrow is a chance to start again. And that beauty presents in every single day.

It reminds me to stop and not just look up but look around and step outside and really see. And it's then that I always find myself giving thanks.

xx

{Life has been beautifully busy these past couple weeks. And in taking time to look up and look around, I've got a little overwhelmed in a good way by what can be and by what is. I think this week will see a little more sky gazing with my two little girls in tow and a little more giving thanks as I wait on clarity. Elisa x} 

Is there something in your day that reminds you to give thanks? What are you most grateful for today?

{Joining the 52 Weeks of Grateful at Kylie's x} 

This is life

After weeks of taking things intentionally back a step, and letting our unscripted days unfold in the gentlest ways, the pace of our days has gained a momentum quicker than I hoped.

I'm fitting in work hours in almost all my spare moments. And I'm squeezing in just enough time for work to be grateful that this work is being offered to me, and to be grateful for all the minutes of my days that are spent doing things I love with the people I love and letting my soul shine.

Our week of slow, family time {and my lack of a mobile phone and internet connection for four days} offered so much clarity, but also left me with questions and decisions to make.

Some are made, some I'm letting unfold slowly, gradually, in time. It's taking a whole lot of mindpower and trust to surrender control. But I am. Slowly.

And I keep telling myself that this is life: sometimes crazily busy, always emotion-filled, and slow and mindful at other times. And I remind myself each and every moment is part of a rhythm. And it's about creating pockets in each day that are filled with the rhythms I dance to best.

xx

{Image above captured while lying in the grass watching my two little loves dance and explore. Elisa x} 

How are the rhythms of your days of late? And what are you most grateful for today? x

~ Linking with the 52 Weeks of Grateful at Kylie's, and the Weekend Rewind at Maxabella's.

Light and shade

 

Bright sun-filled days have graced us this past week, only to be replaced with the shade of clouds and rain the next day.

I can't help but notice the contrast, and how each helps you appreciate the other.

As we walked in the late afternoon light earlier in the week, I snapped images, gave thanks for the sun, watched my girls play and began to notice life was feeling lighter too.

Soon though I found myself reflecting {dwelling a little} on the shadows of the past month.

And it was then I remembered the more I tune into my heart the more easily that shade transforms itself to light.

xx

~ Gratitude this week for the wonder in light and the strength that comes after the shade. Elisa x {Joining the gratitude community here.}

What are you most grateful for today? x

Settling on surrender

Nine months living here in our new house and only last weekend did I explore the bushland reserve at the end of our street. Despite walking together often, for some reason I just hadn't ventured that far. Miss three had been exploring there a few times before though with her Dad, and so she happily led the way to "the forest".

And although homes are still close by, there was a coolness and a calm that came with being surrounded by trees, bush and scrub and walking with mud, twigs and stones underfoot.

I kept looking through the tree branches at the sky peeking through. Sometimes a clouded white, other times the brightest blue tainted with spots of stormy grey. It was as though the sky wasn't sure how it was feeling. And neither was I actually. A part of me just wanted to rest and be left alone, a part of felt a little run-down, and another part of me wanted to be busy and move ahead and on to the next thing on my to-do list. I was feeling exhausted, disorganised and a tad overwhelmed.

But I settled on surrendering to the moment, heading outdoors and letting miss three lead our way. I decided not to check the time as we went or to think about what needed to be done or where we soon needed to be.

We walked in circles, backtracked and then ran paces ahead. Looking to the sky together, we wondered about where the drifting clouds were headed. We paused to listen to the birds singing, to collect twigs and look for the brightest shades of green and new life in the bush.

In letting my little one set the pace, I found myself slowing down, letting go and surrendering to the moment, and embracing her curiosity. In those moments of just us, nature and that winter sky, my head stopped spinning. And I saw her and me and us together much clearer than before.

xx

Do you like to walk in nature? Does it bring you clarity? And do you {like me} find you sometimes need a reminder to surrender, let go and just be?

Do nothing extra

When I was pregnant with my baby girl my prenatal yoga teacher would often remind us to do nothing extra.

The interpretation of extra will be different for each of us. But in my heart to do nothing extra is to...
Do just what is necessary {needs to be done today}, and leave things for tomorrow.
Take time each day to rest.
Stop {even for a couple minutes} to just be.
To let go of shoulds and shouldn'ts {and surrender}.
To listen to my body's messages.

And to me this message to do nothing extra is also a little lesson in trust.
Trusting that there will {in the end} be time for all I want to do, achieve and see.
Trusting that time is on my side.
Believing in perfect timing, and the time that tomorrow will offer.

Especially during pregnancy, this was a reminder to be gentle with myself, to not take on extra and to surrender my want to control how life was panning out {as we endeavoured to sell our house and search for another, I finished a course and worked three days from home}. It was a reminder I needed and appreciated very much at that time.

But those three words {do nothing extra} have stayed with me, and every so often I remember them and know it's time to pull back. Slow down even further. Time to reconnect, ground and just be.

This week that reminder came. Actually I think it's been hovering close to home for weeks now. And so I turned inward, journalling a little more, meditating and reading a little extra.

I spent a good while looking around at all I wanted to do, at all I saw needed to be done and making lists... and then I stopped right there. And lay on the ground with my girls.

This week I spent a few days doing just the necessary, and nothing much extra.

And in doing less, I found there was time for more {of what matters most}.

xx

{This week I'm most grateful for all the little messages that inspire my days, for time spent just being, and for the beautiful conversations I've had with the many amazing women in my life. Elisa xx}

~ Linking with the gratitude community at 52 Weeks of Grateful x


What are you most grateful for right now? Any messages/reminders currently inspiring your days? x

A reminder {for myself}

Walk slowly. {You will still get there in the end}.

Breathe deeply. {And let it all out}.

Notice when your day is rushed. {Then stop and be still}.

Meditate each day. {Even for just a minute}.

Tune in to your heart. {Love yourself}.

Spend time in nature. {Take your shoes off, and connect with the Earth beneath you}.

Stomp, dance, walk, stretch, run, skip. {Let your body move}.

Find one thing to be grateful for each day. {And give thanks}.

Really look at the world around you. {Choose to see love}.

xx

{After last week and its challenges, this reminder I wrote for myself at the start of the year has been on my mind xx}


What's on your mind? Anything you need to remind yourself of right now?