Lessons, and letting go ~ 9/52

We picked daisies and I thought about joy. I watched miss two closely. Just the act of being able to pull a daisy out of the ground saw her face light up in the biggest smile.

The flowers came with us to pick-up miss four from pre-school, and it was only then I decided that it was a fitting week to let them go by the sea.

Letting go had been my lesson this past week. I think I relearned it three times. And I think it's one I'll relearn again at a later stage too. Each time a different situation, each time a different emotion - from overwhelm to grief to relief at the letting go.

Miss four lined up the flowers for me. I took the photos, unsure whether I should focus on what was in front of me {the daisies but also this very moment, and my emotions} or focus ahead on what will pass and what could be {out to the sea, how much better I hoped I'd feel by the week's end, happier times}.

As we got ready to throw the daisies out to sea, a gust of wind took all but one. And it took me by surprise but at the same time seemed a little fitting that the letting go happened all on it's own, before we were ready.

I let the last daisy fall gently to the water and sat to watch it float away. And miss four took control of the camera, pointing out to me that there was so much more than my drifting flower to see.

xx

>> Interested in receiving my free mindfulness prints and "breathe" meditation eBook? I can't wait to soon send them your way. You can sign up for them here. <<   　  

Reset and restore

I've struggled this past week. My rhythm has been less restorative than I hoped, sickness struck and then exhaustion set in one too many times.

After talking it through, and letting go of the swirling that was my head, a fragment of clarity presented.

And I made a decision. A simple, small choice. Yet a deeply nurturing one to reset my days and restore my rhythm, and replenish my heart.

We drove to the water, as we so often do, but to a spot we rarely visit to watch the water in its natural rhythm, to capture it in photo and for me to witness my internal rhythm and let it recalibrate to slow.

My heart, body and mind are thanking me for this little exercise. Because today feels refreshed, new and so much like a holiday.

xx

{I hope holiday mode has well and truly set in for you... Elisa xx}

Missing. Lately.

 

I've been missing in action at With Grace & Eve lately.... Right when I thought I'd found a relaxed mindful rhythm of heart centred moments...when I'd found my balance... mother guilt and fear crept up on me.                       

 

I almost immediately intentionally pulled back to centre in on me - my emotional wellbeing - and to reassess, to slow further, to find my clarity and to release the guilt and fear that weren't serving me one bit well.

 

That pulling back was really a letting go. And a reminder to do what needed to be done, and do nothing extra. A releasing of old patterns, to create time and space for new.

Clarity came and showed me what was missing. Slowly.

 

I craved the written word, and particularly that which I'd read before. So I read the same words, but gained new insight.

 

 I wrote just for me. I created new affirmations. And silently and repetitively I affirmed: "My best is good enough."

 

And I spent the solo minutes my day afforded me in stillness, drawn to meditation and realigning myself with the power of my breath. 

 

And after two birthday celebrations (now we have a little miss two and little miss four!) this past two months I have felt the need to hold my babies close a little more each day.     
 

As I slowed, it felt as though time was affording me more heart moments. But less I wanted to share.     
 

I gave myself a mindful project, to ground and centre with two little girls in tow. I stepped outside at about the same time each day for seven days to take photos at the same place. Minutes of just being with my girls, in awareness, mindful of moments and the power of presence all at once.

And I've missed this space but the lesson has been in the missing. It's made me notice what's missing from my days, and it's shown me once again the freedom and presence that comes from honouring where I'm at. And the wonder that comes from making space for new and change.

   

xx

 

Has anything been missing from your days of late? And does that affirmation {"My best is good enough"} resonate with you? When I shared it on facebook, it was reassuring to know it was something others felt they needed too. Elisa x

 

When one door closes...

The past four years have been full of doors closing, doors opening and me spending a while searching for said doors.

This past month I saw two doors open, and one close just as quickly as it opened.

It threw me a bit. Until I remembered the time I spent wondering and waiting for open doors last year.

That's when I deciding on letting it go. Choosing surrender. And trust.

I've learnt that time won't move any faster no matter how much I push.

I've learnt to trust in my abilities and to believe in opportunities. And to remind myself of that when self-doubt creeps in.   

 I've learnt to take a step in the direction of making my own dreams come true. 

And I've learnt to trust that when one door closes another will eventually open. At the perfect time.

xx

Do you believe when one door closes another opens?

Stop. And Surrender.

Right when I didn't think my days could get any busier this past week they did.

And with that busyness I displayed some of my least favourite traits of overwhelmed and frustration.

I keep reminding myself to feel it and let it go.

But sometimes it doesn't happen that effortlessly though.

And so I whisper to myself: a little less thinking, a little more surrendering. And: this too shall pass.

Then I step outside. And look up at the sky.

It's shown me all its emotions too this week: stormy, overcast, illuminated by sunset, blue and sunshine filled, cloud scattered and grey.

And it's in that one minute that I step outside, surrender becomes me.

I stop, see, hear, feel. I witness the sky and I witness myself.

Then I give thanks.

It's just a minute. And that minute is my antidote to busy and rushed.

xx

{Yesterday I stopped twice to look to the sky and surrender my thoughts, once at home, the other at the beach. The sky and the waves were mesmerising. This minute of sky watching was my inspiration for this print. It's become a ritual in my days. Elisa x}

How do you slow down and surrender on the busiest of weeks? And do you look to the sky?

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

Things I don't know {right now}

Why I believe all arguments can end peacefully. {I cannot help it, there just has to be a way.}

Why it's taking so long to shrug this horrible mixture of confused and overwhelmed sitting smack in the middle of my chest. {I'm letting myself feel it, all of it and it's uncomfortableness and waiting for it to process and let go.)

Why I always choose the positive, to see the beauty, the good and the wonder in everything and everyone. {An eternal optimist, that's just me.}

What anyone else is going through at any given time {I've said this before, and I'll keep reminding myself again.}

Why just one hour alone {meditating, reading, writing, stopping, being still} is all I need to recharge and gather my thoughts and rebuild my heart. {Love that it is, love that I can.}

xx

What don't you know right now?

{You can read my first Things I Don't Know post here}

 

Letting go

 

This year I learnt about letting go.

Letting go of what I can't control. {Surrendering}. I learnt to just be. {More often}.

It was in my effort to make our house sell {so we could move on and ahead} that I almost created one of my greatest fears.

Change came when I surrendered {and fully let go}.

And now as I look back at a bigger than big year of changes, I'm excited to be on the eve of a new year.

And to be where at the beginning of last year I remember hoping to be.

But, as life likes to do, it threw me the perfect emotional storm these past few days. A storm that could only be quelled by letting go of what I can't control.

So I'm grateful for this test, and the opportunity to apply this lesson.

 

It reminded me I'm stronger than I think, and how good it feels to let go.

It reminded me I am supported {by so many, and in so many ways}.

And that now is the perfect time to let go of the old {patterns, emotions and stuff too} and allow extra space for wonder, more love, change and new.

xx  

 

Wishing you the happiest new year!

 

~ Thank you for reading and following With Grace & Eve in 2012. Your comments and words of wisdom, support and encouragement have touched my heart, inspired me and amazed me in the most beautiful way. I am forever grateful. Elisa xx