Life status: It’s complicated…

Simple living
Simple living

I know complicated! Yet I have never dealt with it well. Every time someone says “It’s complicated” I feel heaviness in my body - no thank you, never mind.

I am in many ways simple minded. I loose the storyline in sci-fi movies. I feel confused 3 lines in... “In a galaxy far far away, xanax-3000 was moving himself through time using a vibrator on fire. Humans on planet shiatsu were threatened as they had started becoming so full of themselves” Huh… ?? After 30 minutes of my boyfriend trying to explain it,  we both accept that I will catch 1/3 of the story and enjoy falling asleep to it instead.

I could never concentrate for more than 5 minutes reading anything scientific.

The harder the better. The more the merrier... not so much for me.

I feel that secretly, we glorify busy - doing more. Not out loud, no no we hate busy - but someone who say “Oh this week, yeah I went for a few walks and read a book”, it doesn’t really stir up a lot. Someone who has 2 jobs, runs the family neatly, looks great, works out, flew across the world in a day, volunteers for 3 charities, and does her husband 6 times a week, is awesome.

I am not devaluing any of it, but I do feel we in some ways as a society we have put complicated on a pedestal. The more complicated, the more value. The more praise and awe. But is there a shift happening here?

The most complicated for me was when worry became anxiety and darkness took over. Trying to manage the future, my thoughts, my identity crisis, people’s misunderstanding and disappointment, work, money, wanting more (of everything), the city, stress, relationship, body, health, exercise, getting better, faking it and making it, family, meditation, business, my own demands…. argh someone hit the stop button. So many choices, that it almost numbs me.

I have done complicated.

This year we chose to move from the city to the house I have talked about a few times. We wanted more simplicity in our life. We wanted to reduce the costs of living. We wanted to work less. We wanted our kids to see us more. We wanted to filter out some of the constant noise and stimulation of the city. All the doing was robbing me from what I was actually working so hard to have - happiness.

I am not perfect. It is a transition and complicated still get’s to me. I do however feel a HUGE shift in energy and ease when I choose simple. When I let it all drop and look at what makes my life rich - it’ s not more stuff or moneto.

Simple isn't for everyone. We need the people who can do the science and work out complicated stuff. I too like to dream and admire the academics who I have no clue what are saying half of the time.

But HOW MUCH of it ALL do we ALL need, ALL of the time?

Simple to me is freedom.

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My 1:1 Intensive is a one to one 90 minute session for hardworking women who want to simplify their daily lives.

Working alongside me, in those 90 minutes we will look at what hasn't worked in the past, work towards sustainable ways to simplify, and most important look at the patterns that are no longer serving you.

At the moment, adding more into an already demanding schedule probably isn’t working for you; when can you really fit this in?

Let me show you how.

Read more...

When the stress releaser, becomes the stress increaser

women and stress
women and stress

I can’t begin to count how many times I have heard “I should meditate at least 20 minutes a day” or “ I have to do yoga in the morning or it won’t work” or “ I just failed at it this week”.

We embark on these journeys with great intentions, we know it feels good when we slow down and tune in, or we hope it will - the article said so.

Then we roll up our sleeves and get to it the practice. The first week was great. You felt the benefits, it was nice to take the time for yourself, your family were good with it (maybe to your surprise). 

Then week two, "shit, the meeting was moved" and you didn’t keep the momentum going that day, your kid got sick and you feel asleep on the only night that you really could have worked some practice in. 

Oh no, now a little stress sets in, now it won’t work, you failed and it was just too hard to fit in. You feel that you should be doing and that the commitment you made just is more stress, then actually benefits of meditating, doing yoga, going for walks in nature etc. This was not the point AT ALL.

Do you recognize the essence of this? 

First thing: you can't be meditate wrong!

Second, there are a few things in play here; life, impatience, maybe the stretch from 0 to 45 minutes of meditation every day was too big. Shoulding which almost never motivated pleasurable and simple action.

I really want to help you create a sustainable practice, to expand presence in your life, without creating more stress in the process.

Join me for this free tele class

Mindful Woman
Mindful Woman

I will share 3 tips to support you to begin and create a sustainable meditation practice in your life, without increasing stress in your life. If you can't join live, no worries, a recording will be sent within 24 hours, to everyone who signs up.

You can do this. You aren’t doing it wrong. We will look at how to simplify to create a sustainable path for you.

Sign up here

Email Address

First Name

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Episode #15 with Ellen Nightingale

ellennightin
ellennightin

Ellen and I share a favorite quote. I knew as soon as I saw here website that I had to interview this woman.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” 

~Maya Angelou

She works with moms to support communication skills and attachment skills. She works with moms who have children with special needs, and focuses on helping her clients find their voices and tell their stories.

Ellen Nightingale is a speech-language pathologist, coach, and writer. She currently leads workshops and retreats for moms to help them find their voices and tell their stories.

She stopped by to talk about speaking our truth, the importance of story and motherhood.

Check her out here:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

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Join me for this free tele class

Mindful Woman
Mindful Woman

I will share 3 tips to support you to begin and create a sustainable meditation practice in your life, without increasing stress in your life. If you can't join live, no worries, a recording will be sent within 24 hours, to everyone who signs up.

You can do this. You aren’t doing it wrong. We will look at how to simplify to create a sustainable path for you.

Sign up here

Email Address

First Name

The little house in the woods...

When I was young, around 7 I think as we were still living in Canada at the time, I used to dream of living on my own in the woods. I was self-sufficient, no TV, heated the house with a fireplace. I had a garden and an old truck. I would go to the store once a week and stock up. I would write and it would be peaceful. I think that last piece might have been added in as I was the eldest of 4 at the time, and quiet wasn't let in the door. I dreamt that I would knit sweaters for poor kids in Africa... well my gram knit a lot and Labrador was so cold, I couldn't imagine that it could ever be too hot for a sweater. In that dream I was happy. I remember feeling at total ease when I thought about a life like that. I would chop wood, and being it was a 7 year old girl dreaming - there was no man in sight.

I love being by myself, going out in nature and the crisp Fall air especially. I am really only a "big gathering of people" person when I have a few beers. City life never got me falling in love, although I gave it a good try.

As we come to the end of 2014, everywhere there is a focus on the year to come, what do you want, where are you going, how do want to feel, notch it up, want more, do less, do better. It's all good, and setting intentions are great. For me around this time I like to sit back and enjoy what the year gone had to offer. This year that includes the little dream I had as a young girl, coming true.

Carina Lyall
Carina Lyall

(that's our house :))

Well most of it anyway· We added some kids, and don't have a truck. There is a TV for movies. I don't really finish any knitting I start. BUT, I am feeling what I felt when I was a little girl with a dream.

My friends look at me funny when I say I love the life we have here "But you're a city girl"... Nah... I am exactly where I want to be, right here. <3

So as 2014 comes to an end, what are you grateful for?

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My 1:1 Intensive is a one to one 90 minute session for hardworking women who want to simplify their daily lives.

Working alongside me, in those 90 minutes we will look at what hasn't worked in the past, work towards sustainable ways to simplify, and most important look at the patterns that are no longer serving you.

At the moment, adding more into an already demanding schedule probably isn’t working for you; when can you really fit this in?

Let me show you how.

Read more...

Going BARE with Michelle Fetsch - Episode #13

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1411572141348

Tune in to hear more about the BARE campaign and the importance of loving your body -exactly as it is.

Michelle Fetsch is the visionary behind the organization Women Enough whose BARE Campaign is empowering women of all shapes and sizes to expose their bodies and life stories with the world. Michelle has been coaching, mentoring, and advocating for women for nearly 15 years and is committed to supporting all women in being seen, heard and free.

Having spent years struggling with eating disorders, low self confidence and body image issues, Michelle founded Women Enough in 2010, a global support network committed to empowering women in realizing their personal and professional greatness. Women Enough believes a woman’s worth goes far beyond her beauty and is actively involved in spreading this message through media campaigns, events and local peer to peer support groups.

If you are interested in partnering with or getting involved with the BARE Campaign or Women Enough Michelle can be contacted at Michelle@WomenEnough.com.

Support the BARE Campaign and learn more by visiting www.WomenEnough.com or Facebook