Category: Personal Growth

Why Celebrating Mother’s Day is so Important

There are a million thoughts and words that swirl through my head every day. But, finding the right ones to describe how much I value my Mother are almost impossible. So, this blog is an acknowledgement of my incredible Mother as well as all the others out there. Those that have dedicated their lives to being our provider, our biggest supporter and our rock through all that life throws at us. You deserve so much more than one day! This is for you!

April 24, 2021

What is Flow?

When inspiration seems lacking and you find yourself staring at a blank page, how do you find your way back to your flow?

This, right here, is me in the process. Connecting to my flow, my inner guide, my intuition. My WORDS. I find my flow by getting started. By putting that first word down on the page. For me, flow means to write. For you it may look like inspiration to paint using a different medium to what you are used to. It might look like trying out every recipe you can find until you get the perfect apple pie or playing guitar until the sun comes up. For me, it is trusting the words as they find their way onto the page. It is tuning in to that self-expression that is more than the surface ‘self’. More like expression of the true self. It is like freedom and clarity and love all at once. It’s deeply personal, like pure surrender.

April 16, 2021

What Does it Mean to Leave a Legacy of Love?

Legacy of Love

As parents there are a 1000 lessons we need to teach our kids about life. But, as humans, there are only a handful of lessons that we impart upon our little humans that set them up for life. I’m talking about those lessons that make them who they are, our legacy that we hand down to them. The wisdom that we impart to them that will stay on in their heart long after we are gone.

I’ve broken it down to 6 main life lessons that we need to share with our children. These are the foundations for a good life and what a legacy of love looks like to me. With these foundations we can raise happy, well balanced children. They are:

April 8, 2021

Mindsets that Hold us Back

We have many individualized reasons that hold us back in life, that keep us from living our best lives. This list can become long and complicated, but I want to look at some of the biggest beliefs that weigh us down, the mindsets that hold us back. These are the reasons that affect most of us and they are also reasons that can be overcome!

Think about each of these as they relate to you. We are all different with different circumstances and views so you might have a different take on these than I do. These are my guidelines as I see them, the mindsets that we hold in our lives that we can work on so that they don’t hold us back from being the best version of ourselves. Here are my top 5:

March 31, 2021

Personal Growth Books by Women

When I was growing up these books were called Self Help Books. If you’re anything like me and my generation Self Help is a dirty word. Who needs Self Help? Admitting you need ‘help’ is admitting weakness. Well, middle finger to that, I say! And, I also say that calling it Self Help is not quite accurate either. I mean, yes you are helping yourself, but it’s more Self Development than ‘help’.

Reading these books sets you apart from those that settle for life as it is! Reading these books means you know your worth and you know you deserve more. To me, reading Self Help Books means you’ve got your head screwed on right, so good on you! And these books are Personal Growth for women and by women, the best kind of ‘self help’ you can ask for!

So, I have chosen 3 books that I simply have to share with you. They are impactful and a must read in my eyes. Here goes:

March 26, 2021

Journaling: A Path to Self-Discovery

I believe in the incredible power of journaling to change our mindset, our point of view and our sense of self.

That’s a big statement, I know, but I really believe it. I’d like to talk about how journaling can be a path to self-discovery. Many years ago I was gifted a book called The Artists Way by Julia Cameron and this book really got me started in a big way in journaling. It is an inspiring read, dedicated to the artist that is within all of us and it is designed to get those creative juices flowing.

The book isn’t only about the benefits of journaling. She also talks about other ways to connect to ourselves, like what she calls ‘Artist Dates’. That is where you take time out with yourself to explore something that inspires you, like an art gallery or an indie movie for example. But, for me, the journaling stuck.

Journaling is not a new thing, it usually begins as a childhood ‘Dear Diary’ but it can evolve into an extension of ourselves, a bosom buddy of sorts. It can be there for us when nobody else can. It can store secrets and feelings too. For me, though, the essence of the journal is the coming home to yourself. And, it is this that gives journaling its power as a path to self-discovery. You can break down all walls and take down all masks with a journal. You can discover things about yourself and help yourself grow, heal or mourn. A journal is a best friend and a keeper of secrets.

March 23, 2021

A Sense of Knowing

There is something deep within us. We call it Trust, Faith, Knowing or Intuition. It doesn’t matter what we call it, we all have it. This knowing comes from our soul, from the deepest most authentic part of us. It is a voice that struggles to be heard above the thoughts in our heads. The question is, do you listen? Do you acknowledge this voice, this knowing?

March 15, 2021

Finding Joy in Little Things

Finding Joy in Little things

I’ve come to realize that finding joy in the smallest of things is one of those gems of life. The problem is, because we have our blinkers on we haven’t realized how precious they are. Yes, there is great joy in the proposal on the beach and the first words uttered by your child, but are we missing the details? Are we missing out on a whole other level of joy that could fill our lives? Joyous moments abound if we pay closer attention!

I’d like to look at a list of pure, simple joys that I think are often overlooked and undervalued (Please add to the list in the comments, I’d love to see it grow!). Simple pleasures that elevate our life experience if we will only stop to notice them.

I want you to take a moment to really put yourself into the feeling and experience of these joyful moments that I’ve listed. Re-create them if you can, even better! The idea is to really wake up to the fact that these small, often unnoticed, experiences can actually bring great joy. This is personal, of course, but there is something on the list for all of us to ponder on. Have you stopped to enjoy these moments or do you let them slip by you?

March 6, 2021

Defining Boundaries as a Mum

I’ve been thinking about my boundaries lately. This isn’t something I’ve given much thought to if I’m honest. I have been ‘Mum’ for almost 13yrs now and with that comes a lot of blurred lines! There was more Mum than Stephanie for many years. It is only recently that I began to realize that these blurred lines exist, and that they can be damaging. Defining my boundaries has been the starting point for my entire Personal Growth journey.

It’s the old ‘Self-Care isn’t Selfish’ scenario. We lose sight of our own well-being because we are too busy being the perfect Mum. Waking up to the reality that we aren’t doing ourselves any favours is the turning point. You start to set up your boundaries because you understand that they are friends, not foes.

February 18, 2021

The Lighter Side of Death

Thinking about Death is morbid, right? Well, this is where I think we have a problem. I believe there are many lessons to be learnt once we openly discuss Death. The problem is, we have developed a fear of death, and that makes it impossible to actually come to terms with it. When I was searching for photographs for this blog, for example, anything related to death seemed dark and depressing. Gravestones with ravens sitting on them don’t tend to provide comfort to anybody!

I recently read The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware, and it got me thinking. Writing about death is a brave move. So many people look away in horror at the thought of it. In a way its like taking on the subject of religion. It’s something people have strong feelings about but just don’t want to talk about. But it’s real. We can’t escape it. This book approaches the subject in such a gentle, compassionate, and honest way, it makes it a compelling read. The stories shared in the book are heart-warming and filled with important life lessons. If you are looking to learn some beautiful lessons from the dying I highly recommend reading her book.