With a single breath and a heart-focused intention

One week into Feb, 38 days into the new year... And it only now feels like my year is beginning.

We've sent a little one off to prep, a confident and eager miss seven into grade two and my little miss Ruby {now 21 months} is at home navigating our world with me by her side.

I haven't set a pace so far this year. And that's been unsettling for me. I've wanted a rhythm. But instead strived for a heart-centred hum to our days. We've done beautifully in carving out memories and moments this summer. And when all sense of balance has been thrown out, we've paused, breathed, banded together and started again.

Our first few weeks of January were slow and long in the best way. I found myself nourishing and nurturing my three together, but carving out time with each of my girls alone too. There's something about giving all your attention to them individually that sets my heart alight, as though I'm seeing them with new eyes, giving all my love to just one for a few moments. It's really quite hard to explain. 

But today it feels like only now my year is truly beginning, now that school is back, and I can schedule in some time for writing, some time for nurture, time to create and time to be alone. And it turns out that's what I've craved most so far this year. Time alone to write, to breathe, to just be. To reconnect with me.

And so, I've been dwelling on little rituals I can fold effortlessly into my day. Three rounds of salute to the sun in the morning. Ducking out the door for a short morning walk as the sun rises while the rest of the house sleeps. Stepping outside to look at the sky {looking up and giving thanks}. Writing down my blessings. Just writing, anything at all, but mostly for my heart. Reading a few pages of a new book before bed. Reminding myself to breathe, and then breathing and doing absolutely nothing else.  

And it seems this is where my rituals begin, with a single breath and a heart-focused intention. So here's to the start of a new year, and gratitude with each breath.

xx

How was your January? Do you carve any mindful or nurturing rituals into your mornings/day? I'd love to know. Elisa xx


~ Sending out three digital prints via my newsletter next month! Finally, they are ready!  Plus, some breath-centered mantras and affirmations for you. If you'd like me to send them your way, you can add your email here.

What's filling your bucket?

This week I helped out at miss four's kinder, and the topic of conversation on the mat was "What's filling your bucket?" And by that the teacher was referring to what's filling your heart - what makes you feel good about yourself and feel full of love - and what you can do to fill others' buckets - acts of kindness, comfort, friendship. It reminded me of this post. And it also sparked a conversation about what empties our buckets. 

Here were 20 four and five-year-olds openly sharing the words that fill them up, and words that can tear them down. And knowing the difference, and having an understanding of the impact our words and actions can have on others. 

And while this is pretty much my parenting aim - to fill my girls up with love, and help them identify all their emotions, and accept them too - I couldn't be more grateful that my little girl has a teacher who values wellbeing and nurture just as high as other areas of learning. 

It also reminded me that this is a question to reflect on often, and at all ages and stages of life. To identify what's filling me up {nourishing me}, perhaps what I need more of and what I can give more of, and definitely what I could do with less of. 

xx

What are you most grateful for this week? What's filling your bucket?

Nurture and need

There's washing to be done. Clothes to fold and sort. Beds to be made. Emails to be sent. Words to be written. Groceries to be bought. And yet here we began our day. Because today the sky looked magical, and I was just so sure the sea would be much the same. And yes it was. The sea and sky met with the calmest of blues. And were greeted by full deep freeing breaths by me, and excited shouts of "I see the water" from miss two. Because sometimes nurture just has to come before what needs to be done. And sometimes it turns out that nurture is your most important need. 

xx

~ photo 20/52 in my by the sea series x {photos 18 & 19 yet to be posted!}

By the sea ~ 3/52

By the sea this week was actually in the sea. And it was the best part of my week.

With two littlies in two, swimming pretty much means sandcastles, standing in the shallows or catching the waves as they crash at our feet on the sand.

But this week we were joined by my sister and her man, and I {a little hesitantly} asked if they could look after the girls while I swam. It was refreshing, nourishing and incredibly freeing. And afterwards I realised it's been almost five years since I properly swam in the sea.   

xx


When was the last time you swam in the sea? x

The only way to give the best of me to those I love

I keep coming back to this Paolo Coelho quote: "Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once.”

It’s been my past month, and I’ve stressed my way through it.

Silly because I know better, because I have plenty of strategies to counteract that stress/anxiety cycle, and silly because I know that my body doesn’t one bit like the rushing I’ve made it endure.

It took a late-night conversation two nights ago to remind me of what I already know to be true. And to remind me of my body’s wisdom and my ability to heal, grow and evolve.

Today I sat in meditation – and I felt all the parts of me that have been scrambling around these past weeks float back to where they belong.

Those moments of meditation were filled with the noise of two busy and beautiful little girls singing and dancing and throwing a tea party for themselves, but as I breathed fully, as I exhaled, and I tuned into the core of me, for the first time in too long I reconnected with the presence, energy and stillness that resides within me.

Tonight I will give thanks, and tomorrow I will meditate again. And I remind myself that choosing to nurture my body and soul is the only way to give the best of me to those I love.

xx

Do you make nurture a priority each day? And what is nuture for you? I'd love to know x

Growing {through motherhood}

I wrote this post for Josie's blog, but it felt like it very much needed to be here too...
 

Motherhood is more than I imagined it would be. In almost every way. More love. More beauty. More challenges. And even more pulling me in the direction of my heart.

 

But it's the growing that amazes me the most. That I grew my girls. And how they grow themselves. And more so how that love we share expands and increases and heightens and grows with every experience we share.

 

I've been in awe and wonder {and exhaustion too} at how motherhood has encouraged and nurtured me to grow and heal. Each day. Little by little. I find myself checking in with my heart, making changes, adjusting priorities and learning continually as I go.

 

Motherhood has encouraged me to ask the question: what makes my heart sing? To listen to the answer. And then act on it.

 

And in doing this, motherhood inspires me each day to grow further into the me I want to be. As my girls grow, I grow.

Each day as a mother I am given little reminders to savour moments, to allow myself to dream and to slow down even further. To pause and reflect amid days of chaos. To pause and give thanks often.

 

Motherhood reminds me in its fleeting heart-filled moments that I am blessed.

 

xx

And as I read back on these words this morning, I realised I needed this post more than ever today. Sometimes that growing is filled with challenges, but I find {and needed the reminder} that it always comes with an opportunity to heal, evolve and learn something new. Elisa xx

Has motherhood taught you more about yourself? Do you feel you're constantly growing and learning too? x

Finding stillness in nature

As the weather cools down here, I feel more and more drawn to the outdoors.

Normally the cold would draw me indoors, but I've been tuning in to this calling and heading outside more than ever this past fortnight.

Mornings see me stop for a minute {or three} of stillness as I step outside and look with wonder to the sky. This morning ritual {a mini-meditation} is steeped in gratitude - giving thanks and welcoming a new day before it has truly begun.

Weekends have seen our little family explore nature together, as we live and love our way through the list.

Miss three and I walked through bush on our adventure yesterday. At first she held my hand tight, looking up at glimpses of the sky through the tall trees. Then she began to run ahead and twist and turn in excitement: "It's a real forest mummy, and so many ways we can go!"

Earlier in the week {on a rare solo outing} I stopped my car at the edge of a tree plantation and stood among the trees alone, witnessing the sunlight dancing through the branches and noticing the stillness and gentle breeze brushing through the leaves.

In the stillness, I gave thanks that I allowed myself ten minutes to just be. In the silence, I was reminded how stepping into nature can nurture us, bring much-needed clarity and invite us to relax, recharge and reconnect.

xx

{This week I'm grateful for nature, and the abundance that is close by. For clarity, dreams and taking chances. I've been posting weekly on gratitude for more than 52 weeks now - somehow that little milestone passed a few weeks back without me noticing til now. What an amazing journey it's been! Elisa x}

~ Linking with Maxabella's 52 Weeks of Grateful and Rachel's Finding Joy x