tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76525652704975804702024-03-12T16:36:54.480-07:00Unspoken ConversationsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.comBlogger349125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-7981042545167373142015-11-01T17:11:00.001-08:002015-11-01T17:11:17.516-08:00Oh Baby; I'm Excited About Birthing our BabyYup, you read right, I'm excited about birthing our baby.<div><br></div><div>Not terrified, not scared about being torn from arm hole to breakfast, not spending my days on maternity leave stressing about being cut open or any of those horrific scenes I could be replaying in my head. </div><div><br></div><div>Nope, I'm choosing to stay calm and I become wholeheartedly teary eyed and goosebumpy when I think about bringing our baby into this world.</div><div><br></div><div>Our baby; the baby my body has grown and nurtured over the past 9 months.</div><div><br></div><div>The precious little life that my body already had instructions to create without me over thinking and living in fear of doing it right.</div><div><br></div><div>My body that has grown this baby and now knows how to birth this baby too.</div><div><br></div><div>You see, the other day a thought popped into my mind, as they do, and yes it hurt haha, but I thought -</div><div><br></div><div>Could you imagine living in a world where mamas chose to share just how bone achingly, heart wrenchingly special it was to meet their precious little baby for the very first time in the labour ward instead of focusing on the cuts and tears and stitches when sharing their birthing experience?</div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">How different our birthing outcomes might be...</span></div><div><br></div><div>How different people may approach birthing...</div><div><br></div><div>How excitement and anticipation and tear stained cheeks of overwhelming joy and pride at the very visualisation and thought of meeting their bubba could fill our hearts and minds, replacing that fear and anxiety that so many currently endure during pregnancy and when entering that labour ward?</div><div><br></div><div>And that, my friends, that very idea of picturing my body surging as my muscles release our baby, with my husband by my side gently stroking my arm and reminding me to breathe, as i focus on one moment at a time, this amazing experience to witness my body, the body who has given me life and now created another, and then seeing this beautiful human enter the world and take its first breathe of fresh air, and finding out whether we have a beautiful boy or gorgeous girl to proudly name and show off to the world with pride and admiration, that's what's keeping me calm and excited about birthing.</div><div><br></div><div>Hypnobirthing has given us this gift, the gift of excitement instead of fear.</div><div><br></div><div>It has empowered both my husband and I to trust our baby, my body and the energy and love that we share and create between us, to stay focused, calm and excited, no matter how our baby comes into this world; be it a caesarean, with gas and drugs or al la natural.</div><div><br></div><div>What a truly amazing and empowering gift that is!</div><div><br></div><div>So how am I feeling about the impeding birth of our child at 37 weeks pregnant with every chance that our baby can enter this wonderful world at any time?</div><div><br></div><div>Excited!!! </div><div><br></div><div>Overwhelmed with joy!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Amazement at what my body has already endured and created and trusting that it'll be okay, it's got this, no matter what happens in that labour ward...or in the car... Or wherever our baby may decide to visit first, we'll be okay, we can do this, we get to meet our little creation very soon!!!</div><div><br></div><div>I can not recommend hypnobirthing enough; it's already achieved its aim for me without me even stepping foot in the labor room.</div><div><br></div><div>It has allowed me to remove fear from my life so that I can learn to listen to my body and trust my instincts, so that I can move forward fearlessly.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Look after yourself and those around you,</div><div><br></div><div>Kirsty xxx</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfHkKZR1KjT_-p2qb0aW-Y7E-i8gkwCRYx4AsBe1lZDsRpLuYpzPqDO2ZXaYmnphc2YSoLuPK_8IdTaU_rG3xriGc9AbXV1eoiXfw3eH_RVZYqaFzYRU3ZUih7lPfCYNXZjAcnM-XIwEL/s640/blogger-image--964839941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfHkKZR1KjT_-p2qb0aW-Y7E-i8gkwCRYx4AsBe1lZDsRpLuYpzPqDO2ZXaYmnphc2YSoLuPK_8IdTaU_rG3xriGc9AbXV1eoiXfw3eH_RVZYqaFzYRU3ZUih7lPfCYNXZjAcnM-XIwEL/s640/blogger-image--964839941.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-1893509470457991892015-09-15T15:17:00.001-07:002015-09-15T15:43:07.921-07:00What do Nudity, Buckets and Boost Juices have in Common?Yup, you read right, nudity, buckets and boost juices...one sentence...3 random objects or experiences...what on earth is this crazy lady talking about?<div><br></div><div>A clue... It starts with first and ends in trimester...</div><div><br></div><div>Ohhhh that little egg...</div><div><br></div><div>So...now that we've answered our spike in curiosity - how on earth do these things combine to create a first trimester experience?</div><div><br></div><div>Well...are you ready...I mean, seriously, are you ready to hear about the oh so glamorous side of pregnancy?</div><div><br></div><div>Whelp...too bad if you're not because here goes...</div><div><br></div><div>There's only one thing that could possess a fully grown female adult cough cough to waltz on in to a town of 20,000 people dressed only in her knickers and bras...yup you heard right...her itty bitty teeny weeny, lacey spotted bikini (underwear), in a car, in a highly populated town...</div><div><br></div><div>And the answer is...drum roll... The biggest power chuck you've ever laid eyes upon... Just ask my grandfather...he kindy helped, toothbrush, vacuum cleaner and warm soapy sponge in toe, to remove coco pops from the ceiling, to the vents to window cavaties to the floor of our car...</div><div><br></div><div>And wait, just when you thought grandparent duties couldn't stretch any further, out waltzes my grandmother with a towel to wrap me up ohhhh feel the love ohhhh and hold me tighter to take me inside and pick out her most glorious clothes so that I could avoid rocking up to work in my underwear.</div><div><br></div><div>So wait lets rewhinde...how was it that I ended up at my grandparents house with a four wheel drive coated heat to tow in a chocolate milkshake only crunchy?</div><div><br></div><div>Well, you'd think that i would've learnt after 13 weeks of power chucking to pack a bowl or bucket for my 45 minute commute to work but nooo someone thought surely this must stop soon, she'll be right...</div><div><br></div><div>And she was allllright until she came up to a big sweeping bend and felt the all too familiar urge to spew, in which in 2.5 seconds her hand to mouth reaction didn't quite reach and with no where to pull over and no hope insight...a violent spray of coco pops erupted from her mouth spraying the contents of the car with a brown hazy mist...</div><div><br></div><div>So what did I do?</div><div><br></div><div>Burst into tears of course...then pulled over at the safest opportunity...and sat covered in vomit while I dialed my husbands number in the hope he's offer some words of comfort...</div><div><br></div><div>He laughed...loudly...I sobbed...loudly...to hear down the end of the phone "if you don't laugh Kirsty you'll cry!!!"</div><div><br></div><div>"Buttttt you haven't seen the inside of the pradooooo!"</div><div><br></div><div>Then yes, I had to make the biggest decision of the day, do I turn the car around and head back home coated head to toe in vomit or do I strip off on the side of the road and hope like hell that my grandparents were home to come to my rescue???</div><div><br></div><div>And that my friends, is what nudity, buckets and boost juices have in common with my first trimester experience...always carry a bucket in the car, never fear some nudity and well, I can't help but think that the spew would've tasted a whole lot better and made my car smell sweeter if I had of eaten a fruit platter for breakfast and thrown up a boost juice instead...</div><div><br></div><div>Before I sign off I must say, if someone had of told me that I would've power chucked for 14 weeks before I fell pregnant then I would've crossed my legs and told my husband to let his spermies swim else where...but the truth is, despite the unpleasantries, pregnancy truly is the greatest blessing..nudity, buckets, boost juices and all!!!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Look after yourself and those around you,</div><div><br></div><div>Kirsty xxx</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOnxRVGHaQrF_8uj-X8L89FM8cuPOIq12lhQZSsLtrPk_hgtjvfkcIoryS-mqYO0LGl2NW2lsmhe8oSlc1ZTKS0h0weKna0fN4tyd7rdP2Rd9J5wcxMZ9W4_sWMcA3sGvgz-Vmegbmf3i/s640/blogger-image--953695416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOnxRVGHaQrF_8uj-X8L89FM8cuPOIq12lhQZSsLtrPk_hgtjvfkcIoryS-mqYO0LGl2NW2lsmhe8oSlc1ZTKS0h0weKna0fN4tyd7rdP2Rd9J5wcxMZ9W4_sWMcA3sGvgz-Vmegbmf3i/s640/blogger-image--953695416.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-FxcOJ05jkxVR5YWYRx2GSB6fBevJqCMkQIa7l9q7qXoKnXLDBFp4o_XIh164iJ8CglLFcAQ1ufOFddI_nvqSLmHYIQg_CIwEE61vP1J4Gf6qP1XHlWrZlvdnpp9Rl9cpvT-j0fLYiiU/s640/blogger-image--1824902267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-FxcOJ05jkxVR5YWYRx2GSB6fBevJqCMkQIa7l9q7qXoKnXLDBFp4o_XIh164iJ8CglLFcAQ1ufOFddI_nvqSLmHYIQg_CIwEE61vP1J4Gf6qP1XHlWrZlvdnpp9Rl9cpvT-j0fLYiiU/s640/blogger-image--1824902267.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z0PMB1Ql3jKvblNAFqleoCJDJfdMwTTDyfhGU0xWWM88uGKKjuQ1w99XSu_FFrNjLl88TniKr0mnjwyJxZEfrO6J4GfXI_Za9OObcDirVb5d60ec95tukGr9pxUENBVrv4UzAc6n4dqO/s640/blogger-image--300475669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z0PMB1Ql3jKvblNAFqleoCJDJfdMwTTDyfhGU0xWWM88uGKKjuQ1w99XSu_FFrNjLl88TniKr0mnjwyJxZEfrO6J4GfXI_Za9OObcDirVb5d60ec95tukGr9pxUENBVrv4UzAc6n4dqO/s640/blogger-image--300475669.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-58350363697029901032015-09-02T04:43:00.001-07:002015-09-02T14:45:03.204-07:00Guest Blogger; Postpartum Anxiety Doesn't Have to be a Secret<div><i>I am so proud of this little lady who has bravely chosen to share her journey with anxiety after birthing her beautiful baby girl. I have always respected and admired Beej and when she reached out to me about her struggles just over a year ago my heart burst because I wanted to give her a big cuddle and say "that sucks". I knew nothing I could say or do could make it better and I didn't want to try and "fix her problem" or undermine just how incredibly difficult it would have been,so I listened and when the timing felt right, asked her to share her story in the hope that it'd benefit others as much as it would benefit her to be open and honest with that challenging time in her life. </i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Anxiety is a horrible feeling that can consume you and can make you question every single little decision that you make. This topic hits close to home since I'm about to become a mummy myself and have suffered my fair share of anxiety in the past, and I'm so grateful to have friends like Beej who are willing to share their experience with tips to help you realise feeling worried about your little human comes hand in hand with the incredible love.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>I remember writing my first blog post when I admitted that there was a time in my life when I really didn't cope, when 5 little words "I am one of them" carried the weight of my worry over what people would think about my confession, so I know how hard this would have been to write but I also know how freeing and empowering it can be to share your experience to help others and to realise how far you've come since.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>And me oh my how gorgeous is her little girl, she never fails to make me smile!?</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Take it away Beej...</i></div><div><br></div><div>This is my story about my postpartum anxiety.</div><div><br></div><div>When I did a first draft of this, I’d written two pages before I had even gotten to the ‘realisation’ stage of my journey, so I decided; </div><div><br></div><div>a)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It was too long winded and;</div><div>b)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Everybody’s ‘why’ is different, and it wasn’t the reasons behind why I was feeling anxious that would resonate with people, it was the ‘how’ of realisation and beating it.</div><div><br></div><div>So the round about summary of some of my why’s (as I still feel I need to justify) – small baby – extra monitoring – high blood pressure – induction – lost weight – upset baby until treated (reflux)- busy delayed seeding time – reading TOO MUCH – what I thought I had to do – contradictions – two daily weigh ins – needing to be perfect/correct – lack of knowing what comes next. ETC ETC ETC.</div><div><br></div><div>Having a baby is a HUGE change in life. Uhhhh…..Duh, right? But in my life, it was like stepping into an alternate universe. I went from (mostly) knowing what was happening, what was due to come next, and how I would tackle it. I was productive, ticking off to do lists, active, and confident in my abilities – when I knew what was coming next of course.</div><div><br></div><div>Bringing Ellie home brought the opposite. Zero confidence and no manual to address when I needed some ‘how to’ tips. Or having zero confidence because everything I did read contradicted each other (and I read when I fed, so it was often!) which made working out the ‘right’ way to do things even harder. Throw in everyone’s opinions and your mind is constant swirl of what you’re doing right/wrong, what you should (allegedly) be doing, what other mothers are (allegedly) doing in their (allegedly) perfect lives on Facebook. It hurts my brain just thinking about how busy it used to be! Add on top of that there’s a lack of sleep, and the anxiety stopping me from napping during the day, and you’ve got one hell of a mess.</div><div><br></div><div>I questioned if I was dressing her right, and would spend a half hour working out what to put her in (what??). I would worry about what would happen if she woke up within that allotted 3 hours she was supposedly meant to be sleeping. I managed to get to footy (happily) but didn’t want anyone peeping into her pram, and kept the lid shut so they couldn’t wake her. I counted down the minutes until she was due for a feed, and considered waking her if she wasn’t waking at that time (what what what?!). I jumped at the noises she made at night…worried…later attributed to her reflux. When I was feeding I was straight onto Google, forums, or the Midnight Mums page, wondering whether the questions people asked about their babies were an indication of what was wrong with my baby, or my parenting. Should she be having more tummy time? Was she doing the right things? Am I failing her? I basically questioned all of my decisions (or non-decisions), wondering if they were right or wrong. I worried that something I did now would affect her for life (of course it didn’t!!). I wondered if I was ready to have kids, even thought when we were taking about trying but were waiting, I would ache physically wanting to hold our child, so I knew she came at the right time in our lives. </div><div><br></div><div>It got to the point where I didn’t know what to do, so I did nothing, except feed, bath, burp and put my baby to sleep.</div><div><br></div><div>I cried a lot, though initially I put it down to baby blues. I now realise I cried because I didn’t have the confidence to make decisions for my child and I felt like that made me a failure and a bad parent. I KNEW that inside me there was a confident, intelligent woman who could take this on, but I was having serious trouble finding her. I didn’t cry because I was sad, I cried because I was lost.</div><div><br></div><div>I went to the doctor a few times who talked things over with me (thank you to the staff of the clinic who had to stay late because of my last minute appointments). We talked about ways to cope and how all mothers worried about their decisions. But I still couldn’t find the confidence and I was having trouble bonding with my beautiful girl. It all finally culminated in me breaking down in front of my husband, and he said it was time we went back to the Doctor and did something about it. I couldn’t even face up to admitting I was ‘failing’, so I had him call the doctor instead. When we visited her again, she put it to me like this.</div><div><br></div><div>Imagine a ladder, usually you are up here (a high rung), but right now, you are down here (the low rung)…and we need help to get you to the middle rung, so that you can lift yourself back up to the high rung yourself. </div><div><br></div><div>I bloody love our Doctor – she doesn’t talk down to me and tells it like it is, with comparisons to her own life. This explanation made total sense to me. I needed a little flashlight to help me in the search for the woman inside that can take on the world….or just a small infant. Getting the help to do that was not being weak, it was finding a different strength to be the best person I could. </div><div><br></div><div>I was put on a low dose anti depressant, and the change was pretty immediate. To be honest, it wasn’t long before I was on half the tablet a day. I think I refilled the script twice, and then after talking to the doctor, gently phased it out. I had built my confidence back enough to not need it, to make those decisions and not sit and wonder about the suitability of a singlet for a full half an hour. I didn’t so much sweat the small stuff, and when Ellie decided she’d sleep 4 hours between feeds, I enjoyed an extra episode of the Kardashians instead of even contemplating waking her!</div><div><br></div><div>I wasn’t afraid to tell people I was dealing with anxiety – in fact I was quite upfront about it. I was never ashamed of it, and I didn’t wonder what people thought of it – but I did, and still do, worry that it people judge my parenting on that low period. That Ellie might one day think I didn’t love her because I didn’t have the confidence to take care of her. Because I got lost within myself and cried a lot when she came along. </div><div><br></div><div>I know deep down, that none of those things are true. And as we’ve all heard before, ‘those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter’ – so anyone that does judge me on a harder period of my parenting journey shouldn’t be worth even a single thought in my day.</div><div><br></div><div>Sometimes I sit and listen to other mothers at different stages, talking about what stresses them at that time. This is why I am honest about the anxiety I dealt with – so they can identify the difference between a stress they deal with over a few weeks vs. one that’s part of a big group of stresses constantly weighing on them. So that they can seek help when needed, find their own inner confidence, and so I won’t have to hear again ‘I think that’s what was happening to me, but I never saw anyone about it.’ </div><div><br></div><div>Don’t get me wrong – things still stress me out, but they don’t have the weight that they used to, and I just roll with it a lot more. I have thought about whether this might happen again when we have another baby. I hope that I had the anxiety because of this entirely different world I was thrown into that had no manual, because I definitely feel now that ‘I got this’. However, I know that if it is also a chemical imbalance that throws me off centre, I am not afraid to speak about it, to seek the help, and know that there is a light at the end of that tunnel – just like there is for anyone else in this situation.</div><div><br></div><div>Geeze, this is still bloody long winded, and I know I will wish afterwards I had said more, or put something differently. But this is just another chapter of my unedited life story that is still full of blank pages, and it doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be real.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21P8HuAuV_V6uHeLWSJ1sil_WwusafDWxhvieQzAB5g56fl8jtxVeo19H3mjNsT7iw6NKq1ND_qt6njZquhgPeiOrh70k50FLGbNiaMSqKkuOYgC7vZtqnxAvB5o3RMK5rKGh9MAhiFub/s640/blogger-image--2119954820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21P8HuAuV_V6uHeLWSJ1sil_WwusafDWxhvieQzAB5g56fl8jtxVeo19H3mjNsT7iw6NKq1ND_qt6njZquhgPeiOrh70k50FLGbNiaMSqKkuOYgC7vZtqnxAvB5o3RMK5rKGh9MAhiFub/s640/blogger-image--2119954820.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEtAUV019BVIFCbSV1acZHlLG0aVj_wwxGeQRvb7nj4aN74y7kpJ1ti71dl3t_3CTA1JL3LjbUrwsBAJeaUSFZqoxt_xKTZWU5Z_EsLNRVWNrCNQL0kosz7toC4TVATzpB5DVXmfD0nNs/s640/blogger-image--1977821460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEtAUV019BVIFCbSV1acZHlLG0aVj_wwxGeQRvb7nj4aN74y7kpJ1ti71dl3t_3CTA1JL3LjbUrwsBAJeaUSFZqoxt_xKTZWU5Z_EsLNRVWNrCNQL0kosz7toC4TVATzpB5DVXmfD0nNs/s640/blogger-image--1977821460.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p1VmiHAT3I4CGucp2pvIYav0NlTgKREKsYZwh-69-JGmXUPtpRTkxk4mklrEgRhVkLrYmGRD8AH1Zf-EdSZXK_W5kKzk1bRvrCYzRG5jpWddZh5gShtbHcSjOnElayU4iZqwT6M5AFpd/s640/blogger-image-173563150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p1VmiHAT3I4CGucp2pvIYav0NlTgKREKsYZwh-69-JGmXUPtpRTkxk4mklrEgRhVkLrYmGRD8AH1Zf-EdSZXK_W5kKzk1bRvrCYzRG5jpWddZh5gShtbHcSjOnElayU4iZqwT6M5AFpd/s640/blogger-image-173563150.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XRl63UNUgc410ku7vwtpQNQqAh6fxXd5YIXzX7tlMwrkvkJDcD86OJJeS54uC4Ag4Xm1NZmjtgeskb6PWGiRbpVZBf_ms-Qy9XAOS5vQwrW9zd8mw_d_M_xAzOhyaOcYZkbEvimcvVep/s640/blogger-image--1898453953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XRl63UNUgc410ku7vwtpQNQqAh6fxXd5YIXzX7tlMwrkvkJDcD86OJJeS54uC4Ag4Xm1NZmjtgeskb6PWGiRbpVZBf_ms-Qy9XAOS5vQwrW9zd8mw_d_M_xAzOhyaOcYZkbEvimcvVep/s640/blogger-image--1898453953.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx5-vR-Mdkia0mT3Izz0mLJfawwW7jbmuJ4nAWaUzhY22GxO84f_4VJCmiEDNIIiu7was4ilAZL50CsDZHgAG7qMnFfxwg9uuWqKN2NnXHDrTM-AJudfPyeAA4Q_EAYSvFTrQyv30iFSc/s640/blogger-image--1756482586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx5-vR-Mdkia0mT3Izz0mLJfawwW7jbmuJ4nAWaUzhY22GxO84f_4VJCmiEDNIIiu7was4ilAZL50CsDZHgAG7qMnFfxwg9uuWqKN2NnXHDrTM-AJudfPyeAA4Q_EAYSvFTrQyv30iFSc/s640/blogger-image--1756482586.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkJhK31TdakRI2vVMaDNviu6-uLLiDEdEmCKSkfGXuMYQMM7IsqJhMBBdt-dknokqdc5cLxPjdJyoM6x3PWgeRNC1BHL6Uqit23VUt6QjNeyCd3IhP29IZazVEwWHjr3_6Xz6SjsOClPm/s640/blogger-image--1440183215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkJhK31TdakRI2vVMaDNviu6-uLLiDEdEmCKSkfGXuMYQMM7IsqJhMBBdt-dknokqdc5cLxPjdJyoM6x3PWgeRNC1BHL6Uqit23VUt6QjNeyCd3IhP29IZazVEwWHjr3_6Xz6SjsOClPm/s640/blogger-image--1440183215.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-29455092210003166612015-08-30T23:03:00.001-07:002015-08-30T23:11:16.379-07:00Are You Spiritual?<p dir="ltr">I used to think...that spirituality was something only tree hugging hippies who wore tiedied attire, smoked bongs and spent their days chasing fairies through the forrest believed in...</p>
<p dir="ltr">I now know...that spirituality comes in all shapes and forms, based on everyone's individual beliefs...and that perhaps, just maybe, I'm a whole lot more "spiritual" then I first thought...and trust me, while I love my Vietnamese baggy bum pants, the only high I get is from life itself! Yup, I'd stereotyped spirituality into a neat little box because I wasn't quite sure about it, and everything we're not comfortable with seems to be deemed "bad" in our eyes so we shut ourselves off from exploring it's potential...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Take for example Christians...Christians are highly spiritual people in that they believe God, the Holy Spirit, created Earth, giving life to humans, flora and forna to flourish and survive despite the temptations that he lays in front of their paths...A spirit...A guy whom lived thousands of years ago created the oceans, the seasons, the flesh...He created a garden with an evil snake and a built a boat where he shipped animals off two by two to save a doomed population...(or something like that, I'm not going to pretend that I know the bible off by heart but from my childhood memories from church, this is what i learnt). I mean, seriously, if we took away faith and belief, then the story of God and Jesus would probably seem a little far fetched; like something someone with a highly creative brain (or one on that green stuff that we were talking about earlier...might be able to make up!)</p>
<p dir="ltr">***I must make it clear here that I am in no way against Christianity and I fully respect and appreciate Christians views and values; in fact some of the most influential people in my life are Christians and I love their perspective on life!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm just showing a perspective on faith, spirituality and beliefs that some may not have thought of before...</p>
<p dir="ltr">So, while some would say "seeing is believing" and I can't "see" God therefore he must not exist...others "see God everywhere", in every little creation that exists in our world's. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It therefore becomes apparent that faith comes from believing in something wholeheartedly because it connects with you, it brings meaning to your life, it guides you through the challenging times and provides light during the best of times.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It has only been recently in my own personal discovery and challenging of everyday beliefs, that I've awakened my spiritual side and started questioning why, when so many people identify themselves as Christian and can believe in archs full of animals, resurrection and angels, that many people who praise alternative gods, mother nature, meditation, fairies, angels, spirits and the like, are still sometimes viewed as witches, out of the norm, slightly round the twist with their head up in the pixie clouds.</p>
<p dir="ltr">What I've learnt... and here comes my bombshell...my epiphany...my spiritual awakening...I now believe in angels or "spirit guides..." I now believe that our bodies are just a vessel for our personality or spirit and that when we die, our spirit is set free, and may take on different forms that can create visions, peace, love and comfort for those left behind on earth... I know believe that when you learn to love yourself, what you are doing is reconnecting with this spirit inside of you; the thing that makes you, YOU. That gut feeling you receive when you meet someone new and you either instantly have a connection or you get a bad vibe...that energy that you can sense and feel from people around you...that self talk that goes on inside your brain...let's face it you're not talking to your kidneys or your bladder or your legs...you're talking to you...your spirit.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It is my belief...that we all have a spirit...I truly believe that the reason there's so much unhappiness and such high cases of mental illness and divorce, heart disease and the like is largely because we have become disconnected from our spiritual selves. ..or ourselves if that makes people feel more comfortable. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We've switched off our gut instincts...we're running 50 million miles an hour to impress, dress, create, labour, socialize and fulfill that we've stopped listening to what we really really want...</p>
<p dir="ltr">But what I've learnt through meditation and the beautiful guidance of two wonderfully spiritual women in my meditation classes (thanks Emma and Ngahuia ), is that when we reconnect with ourselves, with our spirit, with our personality, that's when we can find true happiness...that's when we can feel free. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'd share this advice...don't be afraid of your spirituality...In an essence what you're saying is that you're afraid to be you...but you are truly amazing...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Imagine how empowering it would be to believe in yourself? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Imagine the writers, painters, singers, doctors , scientists, discoveries, advancements and enlightenment that we could all share if people believed in their spiritual self...</p>
<p dir="ltr">I am loving that... I've opened my mind and life up to spirituality...that I've chosen to reconnect with myself and my internal spirit...that I know, that I live every single day true to who I am and what I believe in...</p>
<p dir="ltr">How can you connect to your spiritual self? Meditation is a great place to start (or one I've found incredibly beneficial! ) Choosing to put yourself first and to listen to your gut instinct is another...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Repeating the words, I am enough. ..I have got this...I trust myself...These are always to reconnect and grow in your love for yourself...</p>
<p dir="ltr">So my question to you is are you spiritual?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Do you believe in angels, god, fairies, guiding spirits?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Do you believe in yourself? </p>
<p dir="ltr">After every session in meditation a card is pulled for you with wisdoms from the angels...and I can tell you one thing...Every card that has ever been chosen for me has been BANG on; and that's when I started believing that perhaps there was more going on in this world then I'd lead myself to believe...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Perhaps I'm on the verge of my spiritual discovery...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Look after yourself and those around you, </p>
<p dir="ltr">Kirsty xxx</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFVq4xOrBK5PuxLgOY_VjP4i5Xcni8uovgIewONpTor2ZrX5jYXE_mf8gU6aVu7xOr-QeCuhmjBnj-bGnl2enJLYKqu_M45V1YUsC3K-8u_-PD5nQwWZzETIz38BJG5vjnvHID0ZYd3Jg/s1600/2015-08-31%25252010.38.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFVq4xOrBK5PuxLgOY_VjP4i5Xcni8uovgIewONpTor2ZrX5jYXE_mf8gU6aVu7xOr-QeCuhmjBnj-bGnl2enJLYKqu_M45V1YUsC3K-8u_-PD5nQwWZzETIz38BJG5vjnvHID0ZYd3Jg/s640/2015-08-31%25252010.38.11.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2LF8VwKouUADaGznu-OjEUp6ZH3U9DTIX1DRad7lSpje163aIXfVcAsE6LF9jrYAxr15mWhvonEft0zHjwOoo6Oy79ruV1pEmvtyTii0UokiNSIuM8Xh-4GGN0ZY5kFPGuGGNwJisf9u/s1600/20150824_104352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2LF8VwKouUADaGznu-OjEUp6ZH3U9DTIX1DRad7lSpje163aIXfVcAsE6LF9jrYAxr15mWhvonEft0zHjwOoo6Oy79ruV1pEmvtyTii0UokiNSIuM8Xh-4GGN0ZY5kFPGuGGNwJisf9u/s640/20150824_104352.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjge4XXX2nICrSWqUSuGV73uKXRhf_eVi1Kyt2vmAf_MlT4xAxGwz4uHc0FGO-mYYwaZpZ2gGrGYR4t-qrls93fO5wH9eu3M19RsnX77XnoEeGVwn0k33IA7d2oBzukAExfX5lkfkA_R33c/s1600/20150817_104223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjge4XXX2nICrSWqUSuGV73uKXRhf_eVi1Kyt2vmAf_MlT4xAxGwz4uHc0FGO-mYYwaZpZ2gGrGYR4t-qrls93fO5wH9eu3M19RsnX77XnoEeGVwn0k33IA7d2oBzukAExfX5lkfkA_R33c/s640/20150817_104223.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-13439859867668883972015-08-10T17:19:00.001-07:002015-08-10T22:38:40.115-07:00Oh Baby; A Mentally Fit Mama<p dir="ltr">The decision to become a mummy has always been a "big deal" to me and perhaps for very different reasons to the "normal" worries that come with making such a big, life changing decision.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I didn't want to start a family until I felt mentally fit, until I had worked through my own personal insecurities, anxieties and barriers, so that I could approach parenthood with an open and healthy mind, full of self love and care.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This may seem a bit "over the top" for many, but for someone who has suffered from severe depression in the past, I knew that traveling down that road was something I wanted to avoid again at all costs, and I knew that I was at a higher risk of falling ill with postnatal depression because of my personal history. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So how did I know that the timing was right to start a family?</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I</b><b> </b><b>just</b><b> knew; </b>like when you know that you're ready to be married or ready to make the next big commitment to move in together or to chase your dream.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I had grown to <i>love myself</i>, accept who I was as a person and the choices I had made and continue to make in life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">These sentences don't come easily, and they certainly don't come without years of tears, self doubt and criticism, worrying <br>
about how on earth I'd cope without any sleep, terrified that i would fall into a heap and that I'd be lost in the uncertainties and concerns about my abilities to be a mummy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Fortunately for me, I have developed my "bag of tricks" over the past 4 years since my "great depression." </p>
<p dir="ltr">Without a doubt, being active in my pursuit for mental fitness and learning to prioritise my health and resilience above everything else has given me the confidence to cease taking my depression medication and to trust that I'll be okay, because I have found genuine happiness by first loving myself.</p>
<p dir="ltr">While I didn't have to stop taking my medication when I fell pregnant, under careful guidance from my obstetrician, I chose to slowly wean myself off (and it's a good thing I did because I spewed throughout the first trimester and wouldn't have been able to keep it down anyway haha!)</p>
<p dir="ltr">For anyone who has ever suffered from depression, then you know what a huge decision that was to make, not only for myself but for my husband to be supportive too, given the reasons why I had started taking them in the first place.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But low and behold, I was fine...I didn't fall into a heap...I didn't dramatically go backwards or have anxiety attacks...I did however find myself super attuned to the signals my body was giving me, and at times probably over worried about tiredness and stress thinking oh jingos. ..is it coming back?</p>
<p dir="ltr">So how have I overcome my fear of my mental illness returning and how have I learnt to trust my intuition, to believe that I am enough, that I've got this, that my body is made to grow and birth a child and to learn to trust and know that I'll be the best possible mummy for our baby?</p>
<p dir="ltr">I have invested my time, money and energy into exercising and strengthening my mind and I have never felt healthier, happier and more energized in my life. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Here's some of the best choices I've made and couldn't recommend enough to other mummy's who are keen to become mentally fit before bringing bubs into this world.</p>
<p dir="ltr">1. I joined Mana Mamas, a 6 week program run by the inspiring, caring and nurturing Ngahuia at the Mana Wellbeing Centre.... I seriously loved the experience so much! If you're having a baby whether it's your first or 5th time then I highly recommend investing and indulging in this special time to honor you as a mama, to learn to calm your mind, trust your instincts, destress, mingle with other mamas, laugh at ngahulias infectious personality, and take time for yourself to reflect and enjoy this incredibly special journey! Life remains busy when you're pregnant unless you choose to slow it down and create time just for you, to bond with bubs and enjoy the precious memories you're creating, like feeling bubs kick!</p>
<p dir="ltr">2. My husband and I made the choice to bring our child into the world using techniques we're reading about in a hypnobirthing book, and attending sessions with our amazing hypnotherapist Chantelle, from Indigo Phoenix Hypnotherapy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our choice to learn and practise hypnobirthing was not about going al la natural, instead, it was about creating an opportunity to remove fear from birthing and to remain calm whether we need a c section, gas or natural!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I am loving how involved my husband is in the lead up and preparation for our babys grand arrival, how empowering reading the info is, and how I'm being able to enjoy my pregnancy without the fear of bringing our baby into the world!</p>
<p dir="ltr">We read manuals before we drive, do our research before we buy our house and get to know our partners before we marry them so for me I thought, why not investigate options to give us an opportunity to enjoy and prepare ourselves for the best possible birthing experience that we can create?</p>
<p dir="ltr">3. I begin each week with a 930 am meditation class with the beautiful Emma from Breathe Balance. I love starting my week with an open, fresh mind. N matter how tired and stressed I am when I first begin the session, I always come out feeling empowered and energized. </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">4. I listen to a short 5-7 minute meditation each day using the Free Mind The Bump APP created by Beyond Blue, usually just before bed to whinde down from my day and to enjoy the calmness it brings.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">5. I am eating healthier then I ever have in my life...I must admit that this isn't by choice (haha!) my baby and body is completely off sugar and is instead craving healthy snacks like nuts, fruit, scrambled eggs, oranges, water, meat, vegetables....okay and maybe chicko rolls, chicken burgers and anything savory haha but mostly nutritious food! I can't believe the difference it has made to my energy levels, and despite the different sleep patterns my body is creating (first breakfast at 5am, second at 7am and third at 9th! ), I'm feeling great! </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">6. I'm reading blog posts and stories that empower mama's (and avoiding the scary ones about horrific birthing stories and "advice" for mum's which usually end up scaring the pants off of you!) My most favorite blogger is Amy from Happy Mama! </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">7. I invest in creating time to kick back on the couch and do a guilt free big fat nothing despite all of the nesting I could be doing!</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">8. I surround myself with positive, influential and inspiring women who share similar beliefs about empowering ourselves to be healthy and happy mama's and who respect and support the decisions we're making on our journey to parenthood.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">9. I take very big, conscious, full belly breathes. </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">10. I have chosen to work part time. Part time obviously means less money, but it also means that I have time to nest, I have time to go on lunch date's with my beautiful friends and family which I know is about to become a little more challenging, and I have time to go to all of my appointments without the stress of asking for more time off.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">Above all, I have chosen to create time to put myself and my mental health first, because I know first hand, that I can't be a loving wife, caring friend, efficient work mate, loyal family member or patient and resilient mummy if I don't. </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">This is just a snapshot of a few of the tools I have stashed away in my toolbox to help me to stay mentally fit.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">I would love to know how you look after yourself and what tricks you've found to keep yourself fit whilst on on the journey to parenthood!</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">Look after yourself and those around you,</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">Kirsty xxx</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOleSzPYG3t6s6T65-lTPpD71ETF5SSHuPTj_dolhgxlQvIyOalNo30aj_XyZXrwJcAWYDU2g8mxZL8rn7hTFwx2QkMOO3HQCe8-RgqcAP90PEmz0OzPNGny60MXusWUrs2vlpVw4eMEiu/s1600/IMG_66645874047326.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOleSzPYG3t6s6T65-lTPpD71ETF5SSHuPTj_dolhgxlQvIyOalNo30aj_XyZXrwJcAWYDU2g8mxZL8rn7hTFwx2QkMOO3HQCe8-RgqcAP90PEmz0OzPNGny60MXusWUrs2vlpVw4eMEiu/s640/IMG_66645874047326.jpeg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-4457000443333304352015-08-04T17:46:00.001-07:002015-08-04T18:19:23.580-07:00Oh Baby; Slow Down.<p dir="ltr">Our bodies are actually pretty intelligent things....really, when we think about it, we probably don't give them quite the credit they deserve....like for instance the subtle or not so subtle hints cough gigantic bags under our eyes and sleepless nights spent tossing and turning and huffing and puffing over just wanting to switch our brains off or tomorrow will be the same wave of blurred exhaustion as today cough, that these hints are our bodies very real way of saying SLOW DOWN. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Stop what you're doing.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Put down your phone. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Stop freaking out or bragging about your super full schedule or calender that makes you somehow feel successful despite the feeling of clasping for straws!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Take a deep breath.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Make some time in your life, be it 5 minutes to sit and read a blog post or 30 minutes to go for a walk and immerse yourself in the sunshine or a whole day to sit and do a guilt free big fat nothing....</p>
<p dir="ltr">Slow down...</p>
<p dir="ltr">This is actually quite a tricky post for me to write because embarrassingly enough, I must admit that I, the mental fitness advocate, put yourself first, take deep breaths, clear your schedules woman has actually had a pretty tough time practicing what she preaches lately.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Between renovations and 8 long weeks without a kitchen and loungeroom (and please don't get me wrong here I am so grateful that we chose to renovate so I can work part time and be a full time stay at home mummy if I wish), my career taking off and empowering me to follow my dream of a project I'm really very truly passionate about, extending my learning and studying in Choice Theory and Reality Therapy so that one day I can facilitate the Take Charge of Your Life course as a dedication to William Glassers life, supporting and loving my husband and strengthening our marriage, managing somewhat of a social life and growing our beautiful little human...life has gotten a little bit too busy for my liking.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So I'm choosing to slow it down.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I've acknowledged that I'm stressed and tired and a bit run down and I'm choosing to breathe in calmness and breathe out stress.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm choosing to only work my designated hours.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm choosing not to reply to emails the minute one pings to let me know it's ready and waiting. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm choosing to spend my morning off doing nothing but moving from the bedroom to the couch and writing a blog post and reading other inspiring bloggers wisdoms.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm choosing to breath.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm choosing to honor my body and what it's telling me to do.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So what's the point of this blog post? Sympathy? To rant and get things off of my chest? To self counsel?</p>
<p dir="ltr">No...The reason I'm exposing my inner most thoughts and feelings is to show other people that mental fitness isn't about being in control, loving life and being happy ALL of the time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mental fitness isn't about being super human or dedicating yourself to strict diets and meditation exercises.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mental fitness isn't about removing sadness, stress and self esteem from your life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For me, mental fitness is about being resilient in the trying times.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mental fitness is about listening to your body and what it's trying to tell you and then, taking a big deep breath and going okay, I'm going to listen.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mental fitness is knowing no emotion is bad and every emotion is necessary because it helps us know whether we're in balance or tipped.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I too have bad days. I too struggle with stress at times. What my Facebook tells you is only one part of the story and that goes for all of us.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So please, I beg you, listen to your bodies because chances are they're telling you what you really need to hear and you have the choice whether you listen to it or not. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Look after yourself and those around you,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Kirsty <u>xxx</u></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ps this is me slowing down my life! Lol</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">Pss my most favourist blog that I'm following atm is this one; I can't recommend her enough</p><p dir="ltr">http://happymama.com.au/<br></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStCa-ArtlhWJntZPxO8OW210vYjC9-5DiSLAqtEOoqb1joqjxo3GZI228LHkR6dmkwwogWUVPCRMMikZlG8_xgjECffam0paVUp-UCYS27r36TigIxmvyrxFQc5bNGknq0FaTuqlZm0S3/s1600/20150804_180116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStCa-ArtlhWJntZPxO8OW210vYjC9-5DiSLAqtEOoqb1joqjxo3GZI228LHkR6dmkwwogWUVPCRMMikZlG8_xgjECffam0paVUp-UCYS27r36TigIxmvyrxFQc5bNGknq0FaTuqlZm0S3/s640/20150804_180116.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqbwf9hcewyPGvclgDL7yfRqPBfVcCCXzqUgKImxF2uiA-miBNjZRVWUHgv6WNB0ndkANC9mHVhdE5GcMZirk5mXzFXriHr4gUHlnUMfRO-BMcgA7zoSAmf6fWvaVbCqW3d5fKQ01q62y/s1600/Happy-Mama-home-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqbwf9hcewyPGvclgDL7yfRqPBfVcCCXzqUgKImxF2uiA-miBNjZRVWUHgv6WNB0ndkANC9mHVhdE5GcMZirk5mXzFXriHr4gUHlnUMfRO-BMcgA7zoSAmf6fWvaVbCqW3d5fKQ01q62y/s640/Happy-Mama-home-logo.png"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-57623270229945892562015-08-01T17:52:00.001-07:002015-08-01T18:32:29.922-07:00Oh Baby; I've Got This!<p dir="ltr">Something amazing happens during pregnancy; your body, the body you've always had, the body that has carried you through life and all of its ups and downs, creates a precious baby.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So you might be thinking ummm yes Kirsty....that is what pregnancy is all about, creating a little human, but I just want to take some time to think about this miracle, the miracle of life, for just one moment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our beautiful bodies "have got this."</p>
<p dir="ltr">What on earth do I mean?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Well we don't have to read a "creating a baby for dummies" book, provide our brain and body with intrinsic instructions, create ridiculously long and arduous to do lists, and stress over our bodies ability to create a baby; it just does it...As though it's the most beautiful and natural progression of events that your body has ever had to follow.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course, there's thousands of books out there on parenting, childbirth and everything from what to eat, say and do while pregnant, but let's face it, we don't have to tell our baby right week 1, start replicating cells and DNA to create a human life form, or week 24, start growing hair molecules with color pigmentation that will determine whether the baby is blonde, brown, black red or anything in between! </p>
<p dir="ltr">"Our bodies have got this!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">May I say that this realization is one of the most comforting things that I have learnt and discovered during pregnancy; that I don't have to stress, I don't have to worry about things growing according to plan or my baby having 10 toes and 10 little fingers because "my bodies got this!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">If, of course, at the end of the day, our baby is born with a missing toe or a birth mark on its face, or with autism, or any other special circumstance, then I too know that "my body's got this" and so long as we can teach our baby to be resilient, then all will be okay.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So what is my message in today's post?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sometimes I think we over complicate things, we stress out about things outside of our control, we choose to panic and cry and freak out and read and download every app and listen to people's advice about pregnancy and parenthood, when perhaps we could be choosing to stay calm and to believe in our body and babies ability to handle even the most challenging of situations. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I for one need to let go! </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm choosing to breath in calmness and breath out stress.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As one amazingly beautiful and spiritual lady has taught me;</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I've got this!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"My body was made for this".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I am enough".</p>
<p dir="ltr">Pregnancy is such a beautiful, treasured gift, but I'm not for a second going to pretend that it's always smooth sailing; life still goes on, things happen that are outside of our control and sometimes we can find ourselves a little more stressed then we'd like to be, but I honestly believe that if we can learn to trust ourselves and our babies, then we can create a positive pregnancy and birthing experience.</p>
<p dir="ltr">What are your thoughts?</p>
<p dir="ltr">What are some of your coping strategies will pregnant?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Look after yourself, (your baby) and those around you,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Kirsty <u>xxx</u></p><p dir="ltr"><u><br></u></p><p dir="ltr"><u>Thank you to a beautiful, generous, caring, spiritual soul for teaching me to trust my intuition!</u></p><p dir="ltr"><u>Ngahuia - Mana Wellbeing Centre </u></p>
<p dir="ltr">Image via http://thenectarcollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/I-got-this-green-screen.jpg</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXdxGB9jHoFlibu3rw20RxHyNTqJ1BY-cyj_d3z9qeiTHv88Y_aMwZj4lVebuh5gnD4MdD_wlia7ZSKQMj5m9sTpWZhEQlpEuZsrdV37E29oEpaVJc-yGcN1tJ_EDw7OMjmxKL6X8KIVZ/s1600/I-got-this-green-screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXdxGB9jHoFlibu3rw20RxHyNTqJ1BY-cyj_d3z9qeiTHv88Y_aMwZj4lVebuh5gnD4MdD_wlia7ZSKQMj5m9sTpWZhEQlpEuZsrdV37E29oEpaVJc-yGcN1tJ_EDw7OMjmxKL6X8KIVZ/s640/I-got-this-green-screen.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSaXEIEwUtbMHuOUrm6xdpNgzDdrlr6ACpil6vkRJo3maWDnSsrqGnq9dnAzamYR-KZduFNLV4195Bo8YFdEDuctErhXWIQH9n4f3dIX1g-wags0oQZ5FJcpO7y3994oQzHVANPfsZG8A/s1600/IMG_89254285045153.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSaXEIEwUtbMHuOUrm6xdpNgzDdrlr6ACpil6vkRJo3maWDnSsrqGnq9dnAzamYR-KZduFNLV4195Bo8YFdEDuctErhXWIQH9n4f3dIX1g-wags0oQZ5FJcpO7y3994oQzHVANPfsZG8A/s640/IMG_89254285045153.jpeg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-69898382696952324922015-07-15T16:07:00.001-07:002015-07-15T17:06:48.751-07:00Oh Baby; I Don't Want To Lose Myself<p dir="ltr">"I don't want to lose myself."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Can you please give me some more information so that I can understand what's important to you?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Yes..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"What do you mean by you don't want to lose yourself?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Well, after years of searching I've finally found myself, you know,  who I am,  what makes me tick,  my limitations,  choices,  confidence,  voice,  love and respect and now I don't want to lose myself".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"What makes you think you'll lose yourself? "</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Well, I'm growing a precious baby,  and soon,  when that baby enters this world,  my life is going to change,  and I'm worried that between sleepless nights,  foggy eyes,  dirty nappies and devoting myself to meeting my babies needs that I'll fall into a heap of exhaustion and,  and, and that I'll begin to travel down the path of unwellness  again. "</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I see...so what's most important to you here? "</p>
<p dir="ltr">"To be a good mum and to be resilient in myself- to look after myself while also taking care of our baby. "</p>
<p dir="ltr">"And what would it look like if you could have both? "</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I'd be happy and healthy and my baby would be happy and healthy too."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Is this a realistic expectation?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Mmmm...maybe not....I know that we won't always be healthy and happy, that's life, we're bound to become tired, exhausted even, and to come down with colds and things at some stage..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"So maybe instead of thinking about being happy and healthy how else could you describe what you really want?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I guess I really want us both to be resilient, and that when we face tricky days when we're both still getting to know each other and we're tired and both probably crying because we don't know what each other wants, that I can remain calm, take deep breaths and remind myself that it'll all be okay".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"So I'm picking up two things that are important to you, your baby's resilience and your own resilience..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Yes..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Can we just pretend, just for now, that you have zero control over your babies resilience, that your baby is its own person and that while you may influence that person, that you won't and can't control your baby, who do you want to be as a mum?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I want to be calm in adverse situations, patient, understanding, I want to have energy still for my marriage as I believe that it is the foundation for our child's wellbeing and I want to be strong and mentally fit and well in myself".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"And of all of those things, what's most important to you?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"To keep mentally fit...but...ummm...."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Go on...."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Is it selfish or an unrealistic expectation to enter parenthood wanting to keep mentally fit?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"What makes you think that?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Mum's  put their kids first."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"If you were thinking and putting your child first,  would that help you to get what you really want....to keep yourself mentally fit?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I don't know...possibly not because I'd be ignoring my needs for my babies..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Okay...lets think about it this way...if you were putting yourself first, who benefits from this?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Ummm...well...me...and my husband and, I guess, ###insert tears### my baby too".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"So what im hearing from you that being mindful of your mental fitness would help the people most important in your life...does that make you selfish?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I guess not..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Great, so would could you be doing to keep mentally fit when you have a baby?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I could set aside time for myself when my husband gets home from work, like run a bath to catch my breath and refocus...I could also ask for help if I was tired, or feeling a little flat..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Is there anything else you could be doing..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I guess I could always hire a cleaner or something if the housework gets too much..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Great, and if people don't choose to help or you couldn't afford a house cleaner then what could you be doing?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I could choose to affirm to myself that it's okay to be tired, it's okay not to be coping all of the time, it's okay to need some help, it's okay to be frustrated and confused and scared when you're trying something new for the first time, and I can choose to remind myself that it's okay to want to look after myself too..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"How do you feel about using this as a little plan for you - now that after today, we've acknowledged that wanting to keep mentally fit and looking after yourself isn't selfish, and that you've just told me that you can choose to ask for help and have positive affirmations for yourself?</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I feel, A Little Calmer..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Is there something you still want to say or discuss?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"#tears# what if others think I'm selfish for meeting my own needs, or thinking about myself first sometimes?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I can see that this is something that is worrying you...how about we use the example of giving your baby zero control again here....how about we imagine that you have zero control over what other people think and do, and that way we can explore things you could be thinking or doing...how does that sound?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I see, I see now, it's the same things that I'd say to myself if my baby had zero control...I'm beginning to understand that I can't control other people's thoughts and behaviors only my own..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Go on...."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I can choose to be calm and resilient and I can also choose not to worry about what others think..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"If you were choosing these things, would they get you closer to what you really want...which you've told me is to be resilient and mentally fit?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Yes...#tears#, I feel so much better...I don't have to lose myself when we have this baby do I?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"What do you think?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"No, because I can choose both, to help our baby become resilient but to also help myself to be mentally fit".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Have we resolved what you wanted to talk about today?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Yes...I feel like a weight has been lifted from my chest..."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Fantastic! "<br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Can you tell that I've just completed new and exciting training that is teaching me techniques for counseling and and and whose first to be counseled in my life? Well, yes, it's me and yes...This is an "internal conversation with myself!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">The aim of this post was t<i>hree t</i>hings; to show how we can use questioning in our own minds to find out what it is that we really want, to work out what we're doing to get what we really want, to evaluate if what we're currently doing is getting us closer to what we really want, and if not, to come up with a plan to try to get closer to what we're aiming for!</p>
<p dir="ltr">The second was to show that we can't control what others think and do, we can only choose and control what we think and<i> do....(this is tricky  to get </i><i>your</i><i> head around...</i> I recommend researching William Glassers Choice Theory if you want to know more!)</p>
<p dir="ltr">And the third is to put it out there that as mums, I think it's important, if not critical, that we don't lose ourselves...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Yes...it's something that's incredibly close to my heart and something that I myself am working through myself and will take practice and understanding when our baby is born, but I'm holding onto hope and creating plans to help me to get what I really want and that's to be a good mum but to also to be a resilient and mentally fit person too....</p>
<p dir="ltr">What<i> are </i><i>your</i><i> thoughts?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Have</i><i> you </i><i>lost</i><i> yourself as a mum?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Have you found yourself as a mum?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>What </i><i>things have</i><i> helped you to </i><i>look</i><i> after </i><i>yourself</i><i> while being a mum?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Look after</i><i> yourself </i><i>and</i><i> those </i><i>around</i><i> </i><i>you</i><i>, </i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Kirsty  </i><i><u>xxx</u></i><br></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbYdBuvMHhopei-G2VZPE-CHAJLgzlsj23Fcset_YSUwnpupYiu5cu73Ra4VNBlNvLANIpXeqAnUX0t_nZlxLHbuLyC9hqhvt_WIgayjTyhKhCq4RvsG-7jDaa5fg868owyZ6DWKMaGbV/s1600/tired-mom-429060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbYdBuvMHhopei-G2VZPE-CHAJLgzlsj23Fcset_YSUwnpupYiu5cu73Ra4VNBlNvLANIpXeqAnUX0t_nZlxLHbuLyC9hqhvt_WIgayjTyhKhCq4RvsG-7jDaa5fg868owyZ6DWKMaGbV/s640/tired-mom-429060.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYtW_h3cC6ZgFnBoRSyTAQRTaoehBcWaROeT_jcFn1c8fr7Wt-FulhH6vsWHYXIjdr2lakUcYukQo_kFmqIrD871bhOidULFIgX62VRYW2NPGxRsL6l_Vo6FumQE627V0EGEvDmSWrQm1/s1600/30_affirmations_for_daughters_of_toxic_mothers_quote-overcoming-fear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYtW_h3cC6ZgFnBoRSyTAQRTaoehBcWaROeT_jcFn1c8fr7Wt-FulhH6vsWHYXIjdr2lakUcYukQo_kFmqIrD871bhOidULFIgX62VRYW2NPGxRsL6l_Vo6FumQE627V0EGEvDmSWrQm1/s640/30_affirmations_for_daughters_of_toxic_mothers_quote-overcoming-fear.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0JyWs5VSboa9Tvwx-KT01Q7nXKcr8tUgAq8UMUkiAqumU7ESxzYEQ5l-GA9Q1mQbQUMKSnE-P462lAKambuM5Bzq3AFVpETuc4bjeqJq23RX0GAqToq-KbGBLBGFUwKkcSVuvUuO1hP-/s1600/to-spouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0JyWs5VSboa9Tvwx-KT01Q7nXKcr8tUgAq8UMUkiAqumU7ESxzYEQ5l-GA9Q1mQbQUMKSnE-P462lAKambuM5Bzq3AFVpETuc4bjeqJq23RX0GAqToq-KbGBLBGFUwKkcSVuvUuO1hP-/s640/to-spouse.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-2982904448145821252015-06-14T22:21:00.006-07:002015-06-15T01:48:34.995-07:00Oh baby; the Power of Fear!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyone who has ever experienced a panic attack or lives life with a phobia, understands the power of fear; whether of course, it's perceived or real.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fear is such a powerful emotion and thought, that it can quite literally paralyze our body, send our minds into a spin, create physiological reactions like the feeling of your heart about to jump out of your chest, sweaty palms, blurred vision, dizziness as your blood rushes to the body parts activated by the "flight or fight response" to save your life when you feel as though your life is endangered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When fear is present, we become tense, we think irrationally and we lose control of our mind and body</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So isn't it funny that when we mention labour the first thing that pops up in many people's minds is fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We've all heard the terrifying stories of ripping, tearing from arm hole to breakfast, spilling the contents of our bowels on the table, cutting, stiching, screaming and pain over and over again in our lives that we now accept it as truth... infact all of my life, I have only heard two positive experiences with birthing and they come from two close friends who have removed the fear through hypno birthing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We believe that labour goes hand in hand with fear and pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To suggest otherwise is to place yourself at risk of eye rolling, pffffffts, "just you waits", and the recollection of every gory detail of those who have traveled the road before you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't blame other mummies for sharing their stories - after all, their mothers told them, whose mothers told them, and so the tradition continues; it's almost like we've come to accept sharing our horrific birthing stories as a right of passage for those who have been there - it justifies our pain, shows our strength, defines us as women who can endure so much to bring life into this world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But because I'd a bit of a left field thinker, a challenger of "accepting things" just because we're lead to believe "it's the only way", and am on a journey to discovering the power of our thoughts, which I've already used to conquer fear in my life, I have started challenging these beliefs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why was our body made to procreate without pain, but not to give birth without pain?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over the years of evolution and adaptation surely us humans, the most complex creatures on earth, have created bodies fit and healthy for birthing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why do some cultures birth with ease and without drugs while others pre-book in dates for c sections?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How can people who have tried hypnobirthing and have released the fear surrounding birthing, experience no pain while others who go in with fear experience horrendous pain and discomfort? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why have psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors all around the world had success with reducing anxiety, depression, phobias and fears through mindfulness, cognitive behaviour therapy, hypnotherapy and the like?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because they challenge the fears, and teach people to challenge their thoughts - so that people can remain calm and in control in stressful situations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So what happens if there's another way to approach birthing rather then paralysed and tormented with fear?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What happens if we could control or eliminate this fear so that our body and mind remains calm and in control so that our muscles relax, instead of freaking out which causes our muscles to tense, causing stress for the uterus that can no longer "release" the baby with ease?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This realization, this hope, and this questioning has made me realize that perhaps there is another way...perhaps there's a chance that I can give myself the opportunity to remain calm when I enter through those hospital doors, so that whatever may happen, be that a c section, natural birth or drug aided birth, that I can remain calm and in control so that we can bring this baby into the world in a relaxed atmosphere... heck why not chuck it out there and say - so that my husband and I can <b>enjoy </b>the experience of birthing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have experienced the power of the mind along my journey of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have conquered my fear of public speaking through hypnotherapy by changing my thinking, I rarely have negative thoughts pop into my head because I've practiced mindfulness, I understand the power of the breath to eliminate stress and fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know how empowering it is to remain calm and in control no matter what life throws at you - by removing fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Exploring hypno birthing isn't about going al la natural for me - it's about giving myself the opportunity to stay relaxed and calm, no matter what happens in that birthing room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>For those of you who aren't sure what hypnobirthing is - here's a quick definition from good old<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnotherapy_in_childbirth"> wikipedia</a> "</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start;">Hypnotherapy during childbirth is based on the theory that to experience an easy and comfortable birth, women need to have an understanding of the way in which the uterus functions naturally during normal childbirth when unencumbered by fear, along with the ill effects of the fear-tension-pain cycle on the birthing process. Birthing women and their support partners are taught non-pharmacological strategies, such as </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relaxation_technique" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Relaxation technique">relaxation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Meditation">meditation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_visualization" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Creative visualization">visualisation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start;">, that allow the body to birth normally without restrictions to assist in less painful, easier, more comfortable birthing.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mongan_6-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; text-align: start; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnotherapy_in_childbirth#cite_note-mongan-6" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[</a>"</sup><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So here's to exploring hypno birthing - and removing fear in the labour room.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Can't wait to keep you posted on our journey.</span></div>
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<img alt="Indigo Phoenix" src="http://indigophoenix.com.au/wp-content/uploads/indigo-phoenix-logo1.png" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ps - we've chosen <a href="http://indigophoenix.com.au/">Chantelle Smith from Indigo Phoenix Hypnotherapy</a> to share our experience with us - I couldn't recommend her enough - after having great results with my public speaking phobia I'm so excited to see what results we can achieve with birthing our baby.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look after yourself and those around you,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kirsty xxxx </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ps - if you're interested in "choosing an alternative to freaking out in the labour" then this book is full of information, tips and tricks to help ease your mind!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Hypnobirthing: The Breakthrough Natural Approach to Safer, Easier, More Comfortable Birthing - The Mongan Method" src="http://d4rri9bdfuube.cloudfront.net/assets/images/book/large/9780/7573/9780757302664.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can buy it <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780757302664?redirected=true&selectCurrency=AUD&w=AF45AU9S61PC62A8ZRUZ&gclid=Cj0KEQjwzPSrBRC_oOXfxPWP6t0BEiQARqav2LSdbE6Mcm3usp8lBdR1WF7P6qpTqGZ2ceHvdCOrhyYaAhcq8P8HAQ">here</a>.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-66410802113717502562015-06-10T23:15:00.000-07:002015-06-14T19:08:30.757-07:00O Baby - O Lordy - Where Do We Start? All Things Baby Purchases<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=funny+feeling+overwhelmed+with+baby+things&oq=funny+feeling+overwhelmed+with+baby+things&gs_l=img.3...1787.8781.0.8910.50.19.2.15.0.0.369.2456.2-6j3.9.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..42.8.2010.ukuMNyS2Yt8#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=first+time+mum+funny&imgrc=oIj72CO7_JuFcM%253A%3B5-0DteoDbLlj4M%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fimg1.etsystatic.com%252F036%252F0%252F9048777%252Fil_214x170.554217983_mclp.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.etsy.com%252Fmarket%252Ffirst_time_moms%3B214%3B170">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure whether it was friends tagging us in second hand Facebook baby bargains, the fact that we're almost half way through our pregnancy or the knowledge that baby proofing and branding our house could potentially cost us an arm and leg, that kicked my butt into gear to maybe start researching WHAT ON EARTH we need to "prepare ourselves for the arrival of bubs". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I tongue in cheek say "prepare ourselves for bubs" because I'm pretty certain nothing, not even the best of the best in baby ware, fleecy woollen rugs, 50 million dummies, cupboards stocked full of nappies, breast pumps, sushers (only just found out what this was the other day - that's FB marketing!) and all things baby can truly "prepare you" for when you bring bubs home!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure if it's "normal", but if you're anything like me then walking into K-mart and glancing in the direction of the pink and blue cutesy wutesy outfits and rows and rows of unidentified objects scares the bejeebers out of me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There I said it; thinking about baby purchases overwhelms me...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some might *cringe* here thinking, jingos, is this crazy lady really "ready for kids?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Others might laugh and think me too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, I'm a first time mum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, I don't know what a baby dam or mungo is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, it was fun getting bubs into my tum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, I didn't think about getting bubs out of my tum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, I'm naively excited about the journey we're on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, we' don't have millions of dollars in the bank, a childproof, or even anything proof house yet (but it's slowly getting there), and we don't have a clue about parenthood (except from witnessing our loved ones becoming mummy and daddies!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, we thought, well if we wait for enough money and a nice house then we'll be past our expiry date for children!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So yes, we are incredibly grateful to be growing a human baby - that we made - together - out of the love we share!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But anyhoo, back to all things baby buys!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not really sure what it is exactly that sends me into a spin, and opting to avoid the baby aisles; perhaps it's because house renovations are our number 1 priority so that baby t has a nursery and comfortable place to call home, or maybe it's something deeper, like that fact that I have been soo mindful of miscarriages and things "going wrong", that I didn't want to jinx myself by racing out and buying all things baby "just in case".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or maybe, just maybe, it's because I spent the first trimester + 1 week with my head in a bucket as a constant reminder that I was pregnant (which of course, I was incredibly grateful for), and then BAM - sickness stopped, energy came back, and despite the hanger pangs and nausea that can be quickly dissolved with food, I CAN SOMETIMES FORGET THAT I'M EVEN PREGNANT IN THE FIRST PLACE...until I catch myself in a mirror and thing ohhh jeez better slow down on those hamburgers!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And then, then one of the most amazing things started to happen - little butterfly flutters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />At first I wasn't sure if it was a pop, burp or tummy rumble - but as the flutters started feeling like muscle spasms, and the twinges became more regular, I started to realise, that yes, indeed, baby t is in there, growing stronger each and every day, and reminding mummy that he or she is indeed preparing to enter our lives in 23 weeks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So yes, I really, really need to take a leaf out of my babies book, and get a little wiggle on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's what I've come to accept - if I think about all things baby and every single thing that we'll need then I become overwhelmed, similar to when I thought about planning our wedding day and everything involved, just scared me into inaction....so instead, what I am choosing to do, is to prioritize the things we'll need first, and to start slowly, one thing at a time, sweeping the net, texting mummy friends and trawling second hand sites for all things baby buys!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I had this idea, that I could perhaps help other first time mummies out by sharing my journey to babyfying our house - what things we bought first, how much you can expect to pay for budgeting purposes, what options were out there, what recommendations friends made, what we chose to buy second hand and what we bought brand spanking new, and shedding some light on those unidentified objects in the shopping aisles!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First up is our bassinet...but that can wait for another post!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can't wait to share my journey to mummyhood with you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look after yourself and those around you,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kirsty xxxx</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-11485528170494530882015-05-20T04:44:00.001-07:002015-05-20T04:51:16.794-07:00I fought for my life<p dir="ltr">Around this time 4 years ago I was fighting for my life in the intensive care unit at the royal adelaide  hospital after depression almost claimed my last breath.     </p>
<p dir="ltr">What's as equally scary and sad is that I believe every single person suffering from depression would have at least thought about taking their own life in the belief that they were so unhappy and trapped in hell  on earth that they didn't deserve to live anymore. </p>
<p dir="ltr">That's 1 in 5 people at some point in their life or over 4 million Australians. </p>
<p dir="ltr">While my journey since has been to become mentally fit, to truly be happy,  to share my passion with others and to inspire other people to put themselves  first, every now and again I feel compelled to shed light on mental illness, so others can understand why it's so important to take care of your mental health. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I am forever grateful each and every day that I have been given a second chance at life;  and I am determined that I'll continue to grow mentally fit until my time comes to take my last breath.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I don't ask for sympathy, I don't ask for tears, I ask that you think about your happiness and whether there's choices or changes you can make to be happier and healthier because life truly is too short to be unhappy.</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-59011926807522010172015-05-07T19:53:00.000-07:002015-05-07T19:59:20.568-07:00Oh baby! The First 6 Weeks.<div dir="ltr">
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There's only one thing that could possess a woman to heave herself out of the comforts of a warm toasty bed on a drizzly night, to slip her uggboots on over her onesie and drive around to her parents house at 1130 pm to cook chicken nuggets, in the hope that when they were sizzling hot and ready to devour she still felt like them...</div>
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Yup pregnancy. </div>
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(And for the record they were the best tasting chicken nuggets that I'd ever eaten!)</div>
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My husband and I are working on our next project; baby t and me oh my are we quickly finding out that there's some very fine writing that slips through the radar when reading the blue print for parenthood. </div>
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So here goes, a no holes bared approach to pregnancy as I attempt to enlargen this delicate print so that other oblivious expectant mums, friends of the now crazy hormonal lady, husband's who are working through the challenges of a wife who doesn't really know what she wants and all parties concerned have a little sneak peak into the changes their loved one is experiencing. </div>
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1. Read the instructions when taking a pregnancy test. This may seem like an obvious thing to do, but silly me, in all my excitement (after purchasing the test in the nearest regional city because there was NO WAY that I was being seen buying a pregnancy test in my tiny town of 1000 people!), peed on the stick, waiting 2 secs and quickly dismissed it as negative before discarding it in the bin...</div>
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<b>Note; you must </b><b>wait</b><b> a few minutes for </b><b>the</b><b> test result to appear.</b></div>
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Fortunately, I had a light bulb moment and thought oh it might be a good idea to read the instructions and hey presto, luckily I'd saved the pee in the cup and slowly before my eyes I saw a second line appear.</div>
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<b>My reaction?</b></div>
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Wait, does it mean one control line will appear and then if you're pregnant a second line will appear? Or is there meant to be one control line and then 2 pregnancy lines?</div>
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After 2 more tests (I bought 9!) I started to feel a little giddy and decided to zoom home to break the news to my husband.</div>
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2. Now what?</div>
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Again, maybe another obvious question but as first time parents we weren't sure what came next after our luminescent urine line on a stick! </div>
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<b>Phone a doctor.</b></div>
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I have never felt so nervous in my life. "And what brings you here today?"</div>
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"Ummmm I think I might be pregnant!"</div>
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(What the hell? What kind of an answer is that? I think I might be? Wouldn't you know either way? OMG what if I'm not and I just like some overly energetic sexed up woman who looks like someone who takes a pregnancy test the second the sperm is ejected from the penis and now I just look like a twat? ) Yup, I thought that.</div>
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Luckily for me I saved myself from that embarrassment because the Dr concluded that yes, there was in fact a faint second line that had appeared!</div>
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3. So when was your last period?</div>
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Again, maybe something obvious to take note of when you start trying for a family but little itty bitty silly me usually knows my period is due when it arrives on my doorstep...</div>
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Embarrassingly enough I had to think back to events that occurred around the time of my last period to pinpoint the start date....oh yes had sex that weekend, ohhh yes we did haha ohhh nope, all entrances blocked that weekend boo yeah! </div>
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Note to self keep a calender for future reference.</div>
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4<b>. You can </b><b>be</b><b> </b><b>pregnant</b><b> before </b><b>you've</b><b> even had sex...</b></div>
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Wait what? Okay so not technically...but your due date is calculated from the first day of your last period and not from the date you had sex...So technically your last period could be the 13th of February and you don't conceive until the 27th and by the time you miss a period and take a test you may already be 4-5 weeks pregnant because the date is calculated from the 13th.... With me?</div>
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<b>Strange... </b>so yes, when we found out we were already 5 weeks pregnant (seriously this tripped me out for a little bit but you get your head around it).</div>
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5. Remaining blissfully na<b>ive</b><b>. </b></div>
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We all have a choice when it comes to pregnancy; reading every book in site to understand the ins and outs, burps and farts, tenderness, weight gain, ability to smell a fart the minute it leaves the person's anus and all of the wonderful changes to your body, or remain blissfully naive. </div>
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For the first time in my life I've stopped myself from hiring every book in the library, reading pregnancy blogs, liking pages, downloading all of the recommended apps and asking others about their experiences and comparing my own. Instead, I'm choosing to <b>go with the flow</b>, with the exception of consulting doctor Google for important questions like can I eat prawns on pizza and is Mercy Valley cheese okay to eat while pregnant?</div>
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<b>I just </b><b>don't</b><b> want to freak out and </b><b>stress</b><b> </b><b>over</b><b> every </b><b>little</b><b> thing.</b></div>
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The choice is mine, and we all make our own so that we can cope and understand the changes to our bodies and lives. </div>
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But blissfully unaware seems to be working for now...</div>
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Anyhoo that seems to be the stand out points for the first 6 weeks (I'm currently 9 weeks while writing this) and boy oh boy do I have some juicy stories to tell in my next oh baby blog post. </div>
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Above all I have to say that I'm grateful for the experience because I know that not everyone gets the chance to have a biological child and that is something that I affirm to myself every day when I had my head in a bucket.... haha</div>
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Look after yourself and those around you,</div>
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Kirsty <u>xxx</u></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-74654828238173193662015-05-05T01:44:00.001-07:002015-05-05T01:53:58.645-07:00Why I'll Never Choose to Work Full Time Again<p dir="ltr">What I really wanted was more time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I was forever saying "there's never enough hours in a day", "there has to be more to life than this!"</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>This</b><b> being rolling out of </b><b>bed</b><b> blurry eyed to the sound of my alarm clock that came all too quickly</b>, grumbling good morning to my husband, running on auto pilot <b>during</b> my forever rushed morning routine because I could never bring myself to set my alarm 15 minutes earlier to be more organized. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Jumping</b><b> in my car and </b><b>rushing</b><b> </b><b>to</b><b> work with toast still in my </b><b>mouth</b><b>,  feeling </b><b>disheveled</b><b> </b><b>already</b>!  </p>
<p dir="ltr">Then walking into the office forcing a big smile on my face while turning on my time to be professional, life's full of rainbows, time to leave behind my personal troubles, bright and bubbly customer service face for the day.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course, when lunch breaks came around it was my time to shine while I crammed in a pap<b>smear at the doctors, filled a </b><b>script</b><b> at the </b><b>chemist</b><b> </b><b>and</b><b> </b><b>grabbed</b><b> some food to fill our bear </b><b>cupboards</b><b>, all which could only be done during this precious hour of "chaos" so I </b><b>could</b><b> appear </b><b>somewhat</b><b> </b><b>organized</b><b> </b><b>and</b><b> functional in my </b><b>life</b><b> </b><b>that</b><b> </b><b>existed</b><b> outside of work.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Then back to work to </b><b>finish</b><b> off the </b><b>afternoon</b><b> shift before jumping in my car, needing match </b><b>sticks</b><b> to </b><b>keep</b><b> my eyes open, and </b><b>traveling</b><b> the 40 </b><b>minute</b><b> </b><b>commute</b><b> </b><b>home</b><b> before barging in </b><b>the</b><b> door and </b><b>having</b><b> a go at my </b><b>husband</b><b> for not </b><b>having</b><b> </b><b>anything</b><b> </b><b>out</b><b> for tea!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Oh yes, the </b><b>fights</b><b> </b><b>we'd</b><b> have over the </b><b>silliest</b><b> of </b><b>things</b><b> </b><b>because</b><b> we were </b><b>both</b><b> </b><b>exhausted</b><b> from </b><b>our</b><b> days and now, </b><b>had</b><b> to </b><b>somewhere</b><b> pull energy out </b><b>of</b><b> </b><b>our</b><b> empty tanks to try </b><b>and</b><b> muster </b><b>up</b><b> a conversation </b><b>that</b><b> you know, keeps your marriage intact while </b><b>chopping</b><b> vegies</b>,  defrosting meat and cooking a feast at 630pm (on the nights we had home) or running in the door as your husband is running out to football practice while your scramble together your things so you can attempt to keep fit, be involved and have it all!</p>
<p dir="ltr">So yes, I decided that enough was enough.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I wanted to enjoy Christmas shopping, instead of spending my lunch times huffing and puffing about there being no parks, and I only have an hour and now there's only 40 minutes left and the queues are always so long and omg the bow was right the first time on the gift wrapping.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I wanted to potter while doing the shopping, instead of flying in the door 5 minutes before closing time to grab another 2 minute meal deal!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I wanted to have time to prepare and cook yummy meals that were nutritious, authentic and out of the ordinary instead of our usual spag bog!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I wanted to be able to serve my husband, and to have<b> a clean </b><b>house</b><b> </b><b>and</b><b> delicious smelling meal on the table when he came home </b><b>instead</b><b> walking </b><b>into</b><b> a </b><b>bomb sitte</b><b> and coming home to tornado kirsty</b><b>! </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I </b><b>wanted</b><b> to be able </b><b>to</b><b> </b><b>breath</b><b>.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I wanted to be able to enjoy my </b><b>weekends</b><b> </b><b>instead</b><b> of spending one of the precious two days off preparing for the working </b><b>week</b><b> ahead.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I wanted more time.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I knew that I </b><b>couldn't</b><b> </b><b>literally</b><b> </b><b>create</b><b> more hours in </b><b>the</b><b> day, so </b><b>instead</b><b>, I chose, after careful discussions with my hubby</b><b>,  to </b><b>drop</b><b> a day of work so that I could do all of the </b><b>things</b><b> that I felt like I was missing out </b><b>on</b>. </p>
<p dir="ltr">And you know w<b>hat? It </b><b>was</b><b> one of the best </b><b>choices</b><b> </b><b>that</b><b> I </b><b>have</b><b> ever made.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>1 whole extra day </b><b>in</b><b> my week.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>And yup, I chose for that </b><b>day</b><b> to be Monday.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Just </b><b>typing</b><b> </b><b>that</b><b> sentence helps me t</b><b>o un</b> whine from the early madness of my blog post (a<b>nd former life!)</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>One </b><b>whole</b><b> day makes the BIGGEST </b><b>difference</b><b>. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I can spend </b><b>my</b><b> whole </b><b>weekends doing "fun stuff" with my husband </b><b>and</b><b> friends, while </b><b>knowing</b><b> that the washing </b><b>and</b><b> </b><b>house</b><b> cleaning can wait until Monday.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I can potter down </b><b>the</b><b> deserted a</b>isles of my local IGA, taking my time to pick the juciest smelling rock melon.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I have the luxu<b>ry</b> of reading the backs of packets for new recipes and going back down aisles already traveled to grab things I'd missed or needed to bring the creation to life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I can go on lunch dates to the local bakery with my friends which I could never do before because I was never in my town during opening hours (I worked 40 minutes away in another town!)</p>
<p dir="ltr">I have time to sink my teeth into a good novel.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The rest of my week goes by quickly because there's only 4 days to get through before I have 3 off!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I feel organised; with washing folded and put away (not left In laundry baskets).</p>
<p dir="ltr">I can breath.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course, there were sacrifices that I chose to make.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Less work = less pay which meant that we'd have to tighten <b>our budget a </b><b>little</b><b>, maybe the renovations </b><b>wouldn't</b><b> be done as quickly, </b><b>perhaps</b><b> </b><b>I'd</b><b> have to go without </b><b>things</b>. ..but what I've actually found is that we're saving more money because I'm using a day less of diesel to and from work, I have more time to cook meals with leftovers so that we can pack our lunch every da<b>y </b><b>and</b><b> we</b><b>  </b>eat out less at night time because our meals are planned ahead.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Well you're lucky that you have that choic<b>e" </b>I hear you say?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"My job would never allow me!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"But I have a mortgage to pay!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">All valid points, but we have a choice whether we discuss the option with our boss or not.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We have the choice whether we quit our jobs and find ones that are part time (<b>as </b>I did).</p>
<p dir="ltr">We have a choice to sell our expensive houses and reduce our mortgages so that it's an option.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We have a choice to go without certain things so that we can make it happen<b>.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I believe that if </b><b>it's</b><b> </b><b>something</b><b> you really really want, </b><b>then</b><b> </b><b>you'll</b><b> find a way to make it all </b><b>work</b>. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm a big believer in questioning things just because we're told we have to or because it's the norm!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm a big believer in looking after our health and hap<b>piness and grabbing life </b><b>by</b><b> the balls.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>I'm</b><b> a big believer that </b><b>money</b><b> </b><b>doesn't</b><b> </b><b>equal</b><b> happiness.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>And that is why I choose to </b><b>work</b><b> part </b><b>time</b><b> (</b><b>even</b><b> before kids!); </b><b>because</b><b> I really, really wanted more time.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Btw</b>, <b>there is more to </b><b>life</b><b> then "this".</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Look </b><b>after</b><b> </b><b>yourself</b><b> </b><b>and</b><b> </b><b>those</b><b> around </b><b>you</b><b>, </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Kirsty </b><b><u>xxx</u></b><br></p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-70539837708855224302015-03-31T23:32:00.002-07:002015-03-31T23:32:20.647-07:00Taking Charge Of Your Life; My Dream, How it Can Help You, What I've Learnt and How I'm Becoming Mentally Fit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>How much are you in charge of your life?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Are you a yes person?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Do you make time for yourself?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Do you constantly feel unbalanced?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Are you mentally well, mentally ill or mentally fit?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What things make you happy?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What makes you tick?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What's important to you?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What's your focus in life?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What do you need to be happy?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What do you want, do you really, really want?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are all really important questions to ask yourself, and something that I have been exploring by learning about Dr William Glasser's Choice Theory and participating in a course that was dedicated to his work called Take Charge of Your Life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By asking myself these questions I have been able to grow from being mentally unwell to mentally fit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been so excited to learn about his work, and to be running a road show sharing his information in my local community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Soooo I thought I'd share a tiny little snapshot of what I've learnt from the course with you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The course is run over 6 one hour sessions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first session is called "Shifting Your Mental Model" which is all about how, often in society, we blame the external world for any unhappiness that we might feel in our lives ie our mundane or high pressure jobs, run ins with friends, tension in families or family breakdowns, the stress of money, events that have happened throughout our life and really anything that happens outside of us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This session teaches us that if we are constantly blaming the external world for our unhappiness then we are robbing ourselves of the chance to make change, <b>because no matter how hard we try, we can't make anyone do or think anything that they don't want to.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Instead, we learn that we can only control our own thoughts and behavior. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">E.g. I can't make my husband do the dishes all I can do is choose to explain to him why they are important to me and to control how I ask and encourage him and how I react if he says no!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One thing I've been practicing is if I'm feeling anxious or stressed, saying "I'm choosing to feel anxious or stressed" and pretty quickly I realize that I don't want to feel that way so instead I say "I'm choosing to feel calm" and low and behold it works!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&oq=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&gs_l=img.3...1063.6660.0.6755.40.18.0.3.0.0.457.2449.2-4j3j1.8.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..33.7.2157.LeQjWsu_DPo#imgdii=_&imgrc=RnthQ57huSUB_M%253A%3BFHnduMmOKRUoWM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F40.media.tumblr.com%252Ftumblr_lzfj6f03Ty1qig1x1o1_1280.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsupertramp87.tumblr.com%252Fpost%252F17652109503%252Flocation-glasgow-kentucky-quote-you-need-to%3B1280%3B1280">Via</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&oq=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&gs_l=img.3...1063.6660.0.6755.40.18.0.3.0.0.457.2449.2-4j3j1.8.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..33.7.2157.LeQjWsu_DPo#imgdii=_&imgrc=QdPC5Trmz2t3uM%253A%3BAYAWa8Rb6II6MM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimg0.etsystatic.com%252F000%252F0%252F5433941%252Fil_570xN.213816168.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flikesuccess.com%252F1633%3B570%3B430">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second session is all about our 5 basic needs as humans and our quality world (or the things we want!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Glasser believes that everyone has all 5 needs but that one is usually stronger then the others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The 5 basic needs are;</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Love and belonging; </b><i>relationships with people, feeling connected and apart of a group, sharing quality time with those closest to you, having a good relationship with yourself. </i></div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Survival;</b> <i>the need for sleep, looking after your health, preparing healthy meals, exercising regularly, routine, structure and safety.</i></div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Power; </b><i>the ability to make change, challenge yourself, achieve goals, voice opinions, be respected, be heard, and to empower others.</i></div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Freedom; </b><i>the need to have choices, being flexible, doing things on a whim, traveling, exploring new places, time to oneself, not bound by others, independence.</i></div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Fun; </b><i>the need to learn new things, be engaged in activities, laughter, doing things you want to do.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He believes that we have pictures and images in our quality world's (minds) that meet these basic needs and are the things that we want, love, cherish, believe in etc. Ie for me it's a renovated house, to be mentally fit, to have a clean sink, ugg boots, travel, my marriage etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One thing that really clicked for me in this session is that when we're trying to please others hardly any of our needs are being met except perhaps love and belonging. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ie we have less <b>power </b>as we feel obliged to say yes even when our inner voice is saying no (so feeling powerless) and we may not feel as respected because we're often taken for granted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have less <b>fun</b><b> </b><b>because</b><b> </b><b>we're</b><b> often doing what other </b><b>people</b><b> want us to do </b><b>and</b><b> </b><b>not</b><b> what we really </b><b>want</b><b> to be doing.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have less <b>freedom </b>because our schedules are usually full and we feel like we have no other choice but to say yes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our <b>survival</b> goes down because we're always so busy and might be putting others needs before our own ie sleep, time to prepare healthy meals and to ourselves first.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And maybe even less <b>love </b><b>and</b><b> belonging</b>, especially for ourselves! We might be spending more time with the people we care less about to please and less with the people we care most about!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the hot tip here....to choose to put yourself first and to find out what it is that you really want that needs your needs (is needs satisfying!)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="240" src="http://brentonrussell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Basic-Needs-Picture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&oq=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&gs_l=img.3...1063.6660.0.6755.40.18.0.3.0.0.457.2449.2-4j3j1.8.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..33.7.2157.LeQjWsu_DPo#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=glassers+5+basic+needs&imgdii=_&imgrc=VqxNwDOxdMtdFM%253A%3BHyM1G6pUQjfDWM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbrentonrussell.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2010%252F12%252FBasic-Needs-Picture.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbrentonrussell.com%252F2010%252F12%252F20%252Fdesign-your-lifestyle-for-happiness-and-fulfillment%252F%3B960%3B720">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The third session is all about relationships. My light bulb moment was that Glasser must think that relationships are really important if he dedicates one of six sessions for it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b> And he does - he believes that relationships are at the heart of all mental health problems and are the number one cause for unhappiness.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It doesn't only have to be the relationship with others that is suffering in your life, it could be the relationship with yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was like OMG when I learnt this because when I was sick I kept saying "but I have a supportive workplace, great partner and friends and family" but the relationship that I lacked was with myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So many times I would affirm to myself that I was </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"A stress head"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Worthless"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"A failure because I'd changed my mind on my career path when everyone else seemed to know what they wanted"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Weak for not saying no"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And much much worse I'm sure!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A retreat I did recently said we have 50000 thoughts a day so if all of these thoughts were negative then no wonder I felt so bad! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Glasser believes that to improve our relationships, particularly the one with ourselves, that we should use <span style="color: yellow;"><b>connecting habits ( listening, supporting, encouraging, negotiating, respecting, trusting, accepting) </b></span>rather then <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>disconnecting habits (blaming, criticizing, complaining, nagging, rewarding to control (or bribery), threatening and punishing).</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The tip here is; before you say or do something ask yourself "will this bring us closer together or drive us further apart?"</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The sad thing is that often we use the disconnecting habits with those closest to us, like our partners and family, but these are actually driving us apart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Imagine if we all choose to use the connecting habits more? Wouldn't the world be a much nicer place!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've already noticed a huge different in my marriage now that I have chosen to be more mindful of the language I use (although I'm not perfect I still snap and nag but I always feel horrible after! )</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="http://choosepositivitynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/MT_Insta_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&oq=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&gs_l=img.3...1063.6660.0.6755.40.18.0.3.0.0.457.2449.2-4j3j1.8.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..33.7.2157.LeQjWsu_DPo#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=sharing+kind+words&imgdii=_&imgrc=nLyz6u4hPnX-AM%253A%3B5qbB-8PhFnnzxM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fchoosepositivitynow.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2015%252F01%252FMT_Insta_1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fchoosepositivitynow.com%252Fbe-kind-be-love%252F%3B900%3B900">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The fourth session is about perception and how we take information in from the "real world" (what we've got) and compare that with the our quality world in our minds (or what we want). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Often when what we want and what we have are two different things then we feel unbalanced or tipped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ie when I was sick the image in my quality world or mind was to be myself; fun, life loving and happy but in my real world I was depressed so I felt tipped and tried what I thought was best at the time, to get back in balance (which often lead to a lot of anger, frustration and disappointment!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The tip here is to remember that everyone has different pictures in their quality world of what they want and everyone takes in information from the world differently to us. This doesn't mean that theirs is wrong or bad, it might just mean that they have different wants and needs and we can choose to use connecting or disconnecting habits to support these.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="269" src="http://culsu.co.uk/files/minisites/66483/perception.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&oq=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&gs_l=img.3...1063.6660.0.6755.40.18.0.3.0.0.457.2449.2-4j3j1.8.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..33.7.2157.LeQjWsu_DPo#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=perception&imgdii=_&imgrc=6WTnLekSlqhw8M%253A%3Bzk_oWDV_KKw6xM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fculsu.co.uk%252Ffiles%252Fminisites%252F66483%252Fperception.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fculsu.co.uk%252Fperception%3B697%3B587">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The fifth session is all about our behavior and what we try to do to get back in balance when what we've got and what we want don't match.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's similar to CBT (Collaborative Behavior Therapy) that I learnt from my psychologist in that we can only control what we think and do and this will in effect change how we feel and our physiology (ie our heart rate and breathing).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ie I can ask you to think about a red truck and you will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can ask you to wave your arm and you will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But when I ask you to lower your cholesterol on the spot you can't change your physiology and when I ask you to get angry on the spot you probably <b>can't without first thinking </b>of something that makes you angry therefore you can't change how you feel without first changing your thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The thing I learnt here is that if we focus all of our attention on how we <b>feel </b>ie depressed, anxious, nervous or sad, then we'll be stuck because we can't change this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Once we learn that we can only change our thoughts or what we do, only then we can change how we feel.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No wonder that I felt bogged when I was sick because I could only focus on how horrible I felt and I really didn't focus on what I could do (go for walks etc) or think (trying to distract or change my thoughts) which in effect would've helped my depression...okay so I tried but was so bogged by the illness that I needed some extra help with medication and specialists!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="240" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uBiFKDNsKkw/hqdefault.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&oq=you+can+only+control+your+thoughts&gs_l=img.3...1063.6660.0.6755.40.18.0.3.0.0.457.2449.2-4j3j1.8.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..33.7.2157.LeQjWsu_DPo#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=glassers+total+behaviour&imgdii=_&imgrc=4ds-1weF3mkH4M%253A%3Be91DIBtJdPJWRM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi%252FuBiFKDNsKkw%252Fhqdefault.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DuBiFKDNsKkw%3B480%3B360">Via</a> Glasser uses the car analogy to describe our "total behaviour". The driver uses the front wheels to go in the direction that they want. Two front wheels are thinking and acting. These wheels are the only things that we can control, and move us in certain directions. If we focus on our physiology and feelings, then we'll be left spinning on our back wheels!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the sixth session we make a plan to take charge of our lives by thinking about what we really want and how we can choose to think and do things to make this happen!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I mean, how many of us out there know what it is that we really want or what we choose to focus on?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes it's a matter of seeing whether our quality world pictures are realistic ie winning the lottery, bringing back a loved one who has passed away, etc and just simply taking the think about what it is that we do want.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As one participate said that once she'd decided to put herself and her family first everything else slotted in around that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She came to realize that, the relationship with herself and her family were the most important pictures in her quality world so she choose to put them first!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've done a lot of reading of Glasser's work and have been fortunate enough now to see the course 4 times as I work as an assistant to the facilitator and the more I learn the more it clicks for me.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://heatherbond.me/wp-content/uploads/et_temp/lifehhh-153361_220x220.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My second favourite quote! <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=grab+life+by+the+balls&oq=grab+life+by+the+balls&gs_l=img.3..0l3.954.3065.0.3192.22.8.0.5.5.0.321.841.2-2j1.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..14.8.858.A7dW7ozQYUQ#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=take+charge+of+your+life&imgdii=_&imgrc=XCFCu39IO3JboM%253A%3BKHfGT8zqXp59TM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fheatherbond.me%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252Fet_temp%252Flifehhh-153361_220x220.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fheatherbond.me%252F2013%252F08%252F31%252Fhow-to-take-charge-of-your-life-log%252F%3B220%3B220">Via</a><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/keep-calm-and-grab-life-by-the-balls.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="274" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=grab+life+by+the+balls&oq=grab+life+by+the+balls&gs_l=img.3..0l3.954.3065.0.3192.22.8.0.5.5.0.321.841.2-2j1.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..14.8.858.A7dW7ozQYUQ#imgrc=3A-hNt1-3QN8RM%253A%3BNQ0zVN2DJ739ZM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk%252Fi%252Fkeep-calm-and-grab-life-by-the-balls.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk%252Fp%252Fkeep-calm-and-grab-life-by-the-balls%252F%3B600%3B700">Via</a> My all time favourite quote!<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And my third favourite quote <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=919&q=grab+life+by+the+balls&oq=grab+life+by+the+balls&gs_l=img.3..0l3.954.3065.0.3192.22.8.0.5.5.0.321.841.2-2j1.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.64.img..14.8.858.A7dW7ozQYUQ#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=take+charge+of+your+life&imgdii=_&imgrc=72VVa-kW4May3M%253A%3B2MFi_LyhBioBtM%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%252F236x%252F27%252F19%252Fef%252F2719ef3585d1cf097e0a70323cad65dd.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.pinterest.com%252FMsElleHart%252Fwisdom%252F%3B236%3B190">via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you're interested in learning more I recommend checking out the <a href="http://www.wglasser.com/">William Glasser Institute,</a> reading some of his books and if you're interested, registering your interest in the free course that were offering!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyone and everyone can learn to take charge of their lives, not only those who identify themselves as mentally unwell, but also those who want to learn ways to keep mentally fit, those who want to work through some unhappiness in their lives and those who want to make a change!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I choose to take charge of my life everyday because we only get one shot at it and I want to be the healthiest and happiest version of myself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look after yourself and those around you,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kirsty <u>xxx</u></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-86336886386176015382015-03-25T18:17:00.001-07:002015-03-25T18:25:42.647-07:00Guest Blogger; Are you Autism Aware? Our Journey with Autism.<div align="center">
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<a href="http://www.autismawareness.com.au/index.php"><img class="logo" src="http://www.autismawareness.com.au/images/logo.gif" /></a></div>
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<em>How many times have you seen a kid playing up and thought; wow he/she is naughty? If that was my kid? Don't the parents have any control over that child? I know I have.</em></div>
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<em>How many times have you stopped to think; maybe that child has Autism? I know I hadn't...until I read Peta's story - then I was like, me oh my, I've been so ignorant!</em></div>
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<em>I must admit, ashamedly, that Autism is an illness that I don't really understand because I've never known anyone close who has suffered from it - and sometimes, I worry about kids being overprescribed drugs and labels by society, doctors, teachers, parents etc, when maybe the child is just very active, and somewhat different to other children. </em></div>
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<em>I mean - what is normal? Who defines normal?</em></div>
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<em>But then I read stories like this one, from a mother,who knows her child probably better then anyone else, and who knows, deep down, that her gut feeling is telling her that something is different and special about her child and I realise that labels and medication aren't necessarily a bad thing, and that many times they are absoloutely necessary so that the person can receive the support, understanding, respect and treatment that they deserve (not to mention to help with the sanity of those who are supporting them!)</em></div>
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<em>I'm so grateful that Peta reached out to me to share her story because that's what my blog is alllll about; sharing real life experiences with those taboo unspoken conversations, so that we can shed some light and help people to understand the truth behind the misunderstandings.</em><br />
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<em>At the end of the day we have a choice about whether we open our minds to Autism, or whether we remain ignorant.</em><br />
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<em>I'm so glad that Peta has helped with my perception of the illness, and has opened up my mind, and heart, to see just a glimpse of what it must be like for the child, and their families.</em></div>
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<em>So my question to you is; are you Autism Aware?</em></div>
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<em></em><strong>Take it away Peta.</strong> </div>
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With April being Autism Awareness month and <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1699176530" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">April 2nd</span></span> being Autism Awareness Day I thought it was a good time to share our story so far about living with Autism. </div>
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What is Autism? </div>
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Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects, among other things, the way an individual relates to his/her environment and their interaction with other people. </div>
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The main areas these people find difficult are communication, social interaction, restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests as well as behavioural issues. </div>
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In Australia 1 in 100 people have Autism, with four times as many boys effected than girls. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLbDLcYr09-Y3XikGV9WbOh-oB2gtDO91IH2w3pTAaHm1gbzVvHUuwdNdmyT-3VvFkNfYJUC3E9wLCOESG-BgzlX2_gS6GVZZ8orDHm9ffqQL003e77hOq58sRWLytvDf4fW2HXDLI2Gi/s1600/jAY+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLbDLcYr09-Y3XikGV9WbOh-oB2gtDO91IH2w3pTAaHm1gbzVvHUuwdNdmyT-3VvFkNfYJUC3E9wLCOESG-BgzlX2_gS6GVZZ8orDHm9ffqQL003e77hOq58sRWLytvDf4fW2HXDLI2Gi/s1600/jAY+1.jpg" height="320" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Jay - isn't he adorable?</td></tr>
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Jay is 6 years old and is diagnosed with high functioning Autism and ADHD ( Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) . When Jay was born in August 2008 he was a little premature but a healthy newborn. He would feed every hour, his sleep was very limited and he never really showed much emotion. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a little spunk with his hair all spiked up! Jay and his sister Ilka.</td></tr>
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As Jay got older he didn't hit the milestones at the same time his sister Ilka had. I began to worry when his words didn't come and when they did they were hard to understand, his crawling and walking were later than most, his behaviour also became very unsettled and he was easily frustrated. He would also only eat very limited foods.</div>
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<strong> People told me not to worry as boys were slower than girls , so I brushed it off and kept battling on.</strong> </div>
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<strong>Jay started kindy in 2012 . I was very apprehensive as he was struggling with toileting still, still wasn't talking clearly, his behaviour was spiraling out of control, he lacked social skills to interact with others and his diet had become extremely limited.</strong> </div>
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After attending a few sessions with him I became very alerted that something really was different about Jay. </div>
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I did some research and everything was pointing to Autism...but what was Autism?</div>
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Surely I would have known before now if my child had this? </div>
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After talking with a few people I knew who had kids with Autism I noticed Jay had all of the traits...now what to do about it? </div>
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My first step was to see the occupational therapist who attended the kindy. She then referred me on to CAMHS (Child Adolescent Mental Health Services). Both agreed that Jay was showing traits of Autism. We were then referred by Jay's local doctor to a pediatrician. The ball was now in motion and I finally felt we were getting some where. </div>
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I researched day and night and was certain this is what Jay had. Appointment after appointment and being stuffed around for over a year and half we hit luck when a new pediatrician fitted us in for a appointment...and gave us the diagnosis in January 2014! </div>
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<strong>I remember crying and crying...not in sadness but in happiness that finally we had a answer! It's a hard pill to swallow ,but I had been certain since day dot that Jay was different and to have this confirmed meant Jay could now receive the help and services he needed to.</strong> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhBFyMPEAND-eGKjrpsff2PTzeBBOivwgAbklVsA1Jni0vhyphenhyphenWYC_wY-ocLXXRgYJaQXPZfVLV2sziN8BaDyxPTxfCydiGCuTrf3uXmob5PpzcHGQ5x9vMZHNP9Ytw7rrahVN8LydvH-9_/s1600/jAY3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhBFyMPEAND-eGKjrpsff2PTzeBBOivwgAbklVsA1Jni0vhyphenhyphenWYC_wY-ocLXXRgYJaQXPZfVLV2sziN8BaDyxPTxfCydiGCuTrf3uXmob5PpzcHGQ5x9vMZHNP9Ytw7rrahVN8LydvH-9_/s1600/jAY3.jpg" height="320" width="181" /></a></div>
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<strong>I have been told over the years that he was just a naughty, spoilt brat, fussy, rude, arrogant, deaf, won't look at people when they talk....but no! Jay wasn't these things , he was Autistic.</strong></div>
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It explains it all! </div>
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These comments and judgements by other people used to upset me. </div>
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I will never forget one shopping trip we were happily shopping and Jay was starting to get aggravated. Next minute Jay was in full behavioural meltdown (these include lots of loud yelling , screaming , hitting and biting) with everyone now staring at us and passers by making comments, there was no way I could calm him in this environment. So I pulled him out of the trolley, left my half loaded trolley mid isle and went to walk out to the car where I could calm him easier. A passer by made the comment that "aren't you going to put that back?"</div>
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No! </div>
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My priority was my child and his safety and well-being. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAFtKkXFy_TuljRiT0rB2fUHZPnuONkUKU-MbJlFXO4oVe77JvZW5mpW_pNNeFluOpFjfMq5-T_KVRJQPXFAKj2lhPL7jFwdX5Rjv0sX6upX94w0qe4F_bBNGihOTGmQ7Lts6SaAZTNBx/s1600/jAY4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAFtKkXFy_TuljRiT0rB2fUHZPnuONkUKU-MbJlFXO4oVe77JvZW5mpW_pNNeFluOpFjfMq5-T_KVRJQPXFAKj2lhPL7jFwdX5Rjv0sX6upX94w0qe4F_bBNGihOTGmQ7Lts6SaAZTNBx/s1600/jAY4.jpg" height="320" width="181" /></a></div>
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During the long process of the diagnosis , my lack of understanding of what my child needed, and constantly dealing with unexplainable behaviours, I myself ended up in hospital. </div>
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<strong>I swore I was having a heart attack with pains in my chest, my heart was racing , shaking, I couldn't breath and my hands were turning blue!</strong> </div>
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No, I wasn't having a heart attack, I was having the first of many panic attacks. </div>
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Going to the shop became a massive job . Pulling up in front of the shop and literally not being able to get out the car. I learnt to regulate myself and I haven't had one for a little over 12 months (touch wood).</div>
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<strong>I no longer care about others judgements or negative opinions because the only reason they make them is because they aren't Autism Aware!</strong> </div>
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Today Jay has a great team in place with his pediatrician, occupational therapist, speech pathologist and a massive support crew at school. Everyday Jay is improving. </div>
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<strong>We still have days that are extremely challenging but we live by this little quote " everyday is a new day for us and we don't dwell on what happened yesterday."</strong> </div>
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So next time you see a child screaming in the shop maybe stop and think...Do you know this kids story? Can there be more to this situation then meets the eye?</div>
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Please take five minutes and make your self Autism Aware . There is no cure for Autism but there is a cure for ignorance! </div>
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Thanks Peta </div>
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To find out more about Autism visit <a href="http://www.autismawareness.com.au/">http://www.autismawareness.com.au/</a></div>
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To find out more about panic attacks visit <a href="http://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NonGeo-Anxiety-OtherKW&utm_term=panic%20attacks">Beyond Blue.</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-9780905437527642015-03-18T00:01:00.001-07:002015-03-18T16:35:19.707-07:00You've Asked - I'm Answering; FAQS About My Hypnotherapy Experience<p dir="ltr">As with anything new and slightly out of our comfort zones, we have questions; lots of questions!</p>
<p dir="ltr">These thoughts often increase when the topic of discussion is heavily debated, stigmatized and blown out of proportion by Hollywood films, the media and the things we absorb in our lives.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Like hypnotherapy; I think the TV has a lot to answer for!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Since experiencing hypnotherapy for myself and after sharing my experience, I have come across a few FAQs and concerns from people so I thought I'd attempt to answer them on my blog. Since I'm all for self help, learning ways to become mentally fit and exploring new options, I really wanted to help ease some of the anxieties around hypnotherapy so people can see how truly beneficial it is.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>1. Did I cluck like a chicken? </b>No, but she didn't ask me to. If she had of then I probably would of because let's face it, I'd do it very tongue in cheekly as a joke when I'm not hypnotized, and probably even more so if I'm influenced by alcohol. The thing is, the hypnotist can't make you do anything you wouldn't normally do in the waking state. If they could then just imagine the money they could make from the films they could create by getting you to act out certain role plays, R rated included, while you have no idea!</p>
<p dir="ltr">2. <b>Did I </b><b>remember</b><b> everything?</b><br>
Yes, I remember everything that I chose to say and everything the hypnotist asked me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">3.Was I scared of what I'd say or spilling my guts and saying things that I didn't want to?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course I was nervous when I first entered the room, but that's a normal reaction to trying something new and exploring the unknown...and then of course I was like OMG what am I going to say? But the honest truth is that I still had control over what I said.  I chose to be open because I wanted to find out the cause of my public speaking fear and I found it so freeing, empowering and weight lifting.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I can't stress enough that the hypnotist can't make you so or do anything you wouldn't usually say or do to someone; you still have a choice. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Like the other day at a retreat, Chantelle asked us to visualize kicking away our negative thoughts. Even though my leg was twitching, eager to literally kick the thoughts away, I knew that people were laying either side of me and I didn't want to hurt or scare them so I chose not to.</p>
<p dir="ltr">4. <b>Did I </b><b>actually</b><b> go into </b><b>hypnosis</b><b>?</b><br>
I must admit at the start that I was a little bit skeptical and was worried that I wouldn't be able to go into hypnosis but low and behold within 20 seconds I was under...and how did I know? Because Chantelle asked me to open my eyes and I couldn't!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>5. Did I feel weird afterwards?</b><br>
When I first came out of hypnosis I felt exhausted, but only because I'd faced some strong fears and relived some of the events in my life that were quite emotionally draining. It was kind of like that feeling you have after having a big cry; just physically spent. But it lasted all of 10 minutes. Soon after I felt revitalized and ready to take on the world!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>6. How much does it cost?</b><br>
It would obviously vary from hypnotist to hypnotist with some charging as much as $500 -$600 for a once off, one hit session. Chantelle at Indigo Phoenix Hypnotherapy <u>charges</u> $180 for an hour and a half consult. I know this sounds like a lot of me, because trust me, we're penny pinching too with renovations, bills and life, but after I had finished my session and delivered a successful talk and conquered my public speaking fear I wanted to give Chantelle a million dollars! As she says, you can't put a price on your health. To feel better, in control again, to slam anxieties and find out the cause of your pain and heartache and most importantly to open instead of close doors in your life, is priceless!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>7. </b><b>It's</b><b> too weird </b><b>for</b><b> me...</b><br>
Everyone is different and everyone has a choice and I can respect that. Hypnotherapy worked for me, so I can say, based on my experience, that I'd recommend to anyone to give it a go.  I know when I was really sick that I would've tried <b>anything </b>to feel better, and I wished I had of known of hypnotherapy as an option at the time. I can only encourage people to give it a go; life begins when you step out of your comfort zone. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>8. Do I </b><b>have</b><b> to be suffering from </b><b>depression</b><b> or anxiety to go?</b><br>
No, not at all, people can go for many different reasons relative to habitual, behavioural and/or emotional changes such as giving up smoking, conquering their fear of flying, phobias over public speaking, just for a "top up" to feel good, to help with confidence issues, sleeping problems, seriously anything!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>9. Can I use hypnotherapy to </b><b>help with</b><b> my depression and </b><b>anxiety</b><b>?</b><br>
Absolutely YES! I truly believe that we're all looking for a way to help ourselves, and for other options to compliment snd maybe even avoid medication, and this is one such option. No harm can come from hypnotherapy!  </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>10. Can I go for no reason at all?</b><br>
I asked Chantelle this question the other day and she said yes! Usually during hypnosis something might "pop up" that you may or may not wish to explore!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I truly must say that hypnotherapy is one of the most <b>beautiful</b><b> </b>experiences that I have had.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If you could think of the time you've been most relaxed ie at farm beach with a cider in hand watching the sunset, with your toes buried in the sand surrounded by those closest to you while <u>laughing</u>, then I can almost guarantee that you'll feel 1000 times more relaxed then that!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Your brain is so powerful; this is just one way of accessing the memories, sights, sounds and feelings stored inside!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm definitely on the hypnotherapy bandwagon and can't recommend it enough...especially Chantelle Smith at Indigo Phoenix Hypnotherapy here in Port Lincoln.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you to opening my mind up to ultimate self control!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Have you ever tried hypnotherapy?</p>
<p dir="ltr">What other questions do you have? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Look after yourself and those around you,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Kirsty xxx</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpgli0KiA0rQ5cUXMGlbdMA0DLUIPLWXCxwmpdWzi4bbM4C7qIOaBVztO3Etz7dBaBgFmTDrY1h99ap2S5oLjfc3p5d3wAvxMEtut7b-kvXDaN_on0q284P-VVpO4CuBiuwi4qqKk-1Gs/s1600/20150315_170804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpgli0KiA0rQ5cUXMGlbdMA0DLUIPLWXCxwmpdWzi4bbM4C7qIOaBVztO3Etz7dBaBgFmTDrY1h99ap2S5oLjfc3p5d3wAvxMEtut7b-kvXDaN_on0q284P-VVpO4CuBiuwi4qqKk-1Gs/s640/20150315_170804.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNunpFGmrsev0fxhOU2v3sw6Y7hcX49zpmOmaASfMtbwekcxjTCQFE1IeOsubNmf-VGM33BqZFplI8audrypvTnv71YRxXIubFOSlwrnrkToJLeExd-Zz2l9EO0X2Ljfa30UbRQcOpp9vY/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNunpFGmrsev0fxhOU2v3sw6Y7hcX49zpmOmaASfMtbwekcxjTCQFE1IeOsubNmf-VGM33BqZFplI8audrypvTnv71YRxXIubFOSlwrnrkToJLeExd-Zz2l9EO0X2Ljfa30UbRQcOpp9vY/s640/image001.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-7426660232314021522015-03-17T20:26:00.001-07:002015-03-17T20:26:06.314-07:00Where do you use your energy?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><img alt="Image result for funny energy" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ4-0x4c4-l07fkGeMgfWBfS1kRAv4iT6Lo31NR9Bdsk83Dj6ss" /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1040&bih=878&q=funny+energy&oq=funny+energy&gs_l=img.3..0l10.2074.9401.0.9619.41.20.5.3.4.1.289.2200.2-9.9.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.62.img..29.12.1637.NoVxrUpBm3s">Via</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where do
you use your energy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We all have
a limited amount of energy, but have you ever sat down and thought about where
you are spending this precious resource?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you use
your energy achieving your goals, focuses and purpose in life, or are you busy using
your energy helping others to achieve theirs?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When was
the last time you used your energy doing something that you<b> really</b> wanted to do – something for yourself, like reading a book, going for a walk, writing in
your diary, downloading your favourite music, having a movie marathon or tinkering in the
toolshed?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is your
calender scarily full? You know, like you’re afraid of looking too far ahead
because just thinking about all of the events, meetings and things you’ve
signed up to makes you feel anxious?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There just
simply isn’t enough hours in the day – or are there?</span></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are we
choosing to make our lives crazy busy in order to “fit everything in” at the
expense of what? Our health? Our sanity? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are we so
used to running on an empty tank and stress that it just feels “normal” now?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How can we
live a more balanced life so that we can reserve our energy for the things that
are truly important to use, leaving our tank feeling full?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Does
conserving our energy have anything to do with creating a focus in our lives
and knowing what we truly want?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If we knew
what we wanted, and what we were aiming for, then it may make it easier to say “no”
if something pops up that’s off of our course, so that we can direct our energy
to where we will feel genuinely happy and satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If we choose to spend
our lives trying to please others, make others happy and using our energy to
achieve others goals and purposes, then we’re running the risk of living an
unbalanced life where we never really achieve anything that we truly want to
do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course,
it’s fine to help others, infact, society wouldn’t function if we lived in our
individual silos worried about conserving our energy. The point is, that our
energy isn’t finite; so we need to decide where it is we really want to use it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maybe it’s
time to make a list of the important things in your life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do you
want from life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do you choose to achieve in the next week/month/year?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How can you choose to live a balanced life, while juggling all of it’s demands and spreading your
energy evenly?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Create a
focus, and practice sticking to it; you deserve to put yourself first, and to
use your precious resource to make yourself, and those you care about happy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="http://kristinfry.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/1911692_10151939157502544_2099494612_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1040&bih=878&q=funny+energy&oq=funny+energy&gs_l=img.3..0l10.2074.9401.0.9619.41.20.5.3.4.1.289.2200.2-9.9.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.62.img..29.12.1637.NoVxrUpBm3s#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=we+all+have+a+choice&imgdii=_&imgrc=iNnIxigpIRJIJM%253A%3BeNmL6b2uJJ1rAM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fkristinfry.files.wordpress.com%252F2014%252F02%252F1911692_10151939157502544_2099494612_n.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fkristinfry.com%252F2014%252F02%252F25%252Fmake-your-choice%252F%3B600%3B600">Via</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We all have a choice; and we can only control our own behaviour, feelings and thoughts. If we blame others for using our energy, leaving us running empty, then we're taking away the power from ourselves to make change.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We choose where we focus our energy; no one else does. They can influence where they think you should use it, but you ultimately have the choice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I choose to
focus on energy on keeping myself fit, creating a mentally fit EP, renovating
our house, and spending quality time with those I care about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look after
yourself and those around you,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kirsty<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-60275673960900576182015-02-17T20:54:00.000-08:002015-02-17T20:54:26.384-08:00Hypnosis; Did It Work For Me?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://cdn.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/MjAxMy1hMGRhMzgzY2JiZGQ3ZjEx.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Cummins+Bearings+and+Engineers&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=919&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Kv3jVNeuM4PX8gXAr4DYDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#tbm=isch&q=happy+dance+funny&imgdii=_&imgrc=Qxgc68bdp6U_iM%253A%3BAuNyMc-pl90ppM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn.someecards.com%252Fsomeecards%252Fusercards%252FMjAxMy1hMGRhMzgzY2JiZGQ3ZjEx.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.someecards.com%252Fusercards%252Fviewcard%252FMjAxMy1jMzY4YmYyOGI2ZTk2YWUy%3B420%3B294">Via</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight a whoop whoop, get down tonight a whoop whoop!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ohhhh I feel like dancing, dancing, ohhh dancing the night away!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sorry, sorry, sorry I'm getting a little carried away but I can't help myself from busting out in song and doing a little celebratory dance because it's how I feel about life right about now; excited, enthusiastic and full of beans!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, the only way that I can really describe how I'm feeling is that after sex, orgasmic glow, where you feel like you're floating on air, with your heart pumping full of adrenaline, and feeling kind of giddy with a goofish grin on your face.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Every one must be looking at me thinking wow, she's got a big spring in her step, she must have gotten laid last night! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So yes, as you can probably tell by my excitement, hypnotherapy rocked my socks! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To be honest, I was SO nervous when I stepped into the therapists room because I really didn't know what to expect.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A million things were running through my brain;</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Will this work for me?</i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Shit; what am I going to say while I'm under her spell? (She's not a witch by the way lol)</i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>What if I can't be put under hypnosis and I'm just left sitting there like a goofball?</i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Oh please, please work, I've got a big speech tonight and I need some confidence because I'm pooping my panties. </i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Needless to say, my fears were all shattered within ummm 20 seconds tops, when after staring at a spot on a painting and opening and closing my eyes Chantelle said you're now under hypnosis and if you don't believe me try to open your eyes.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, I tried my hardest, almost popped a pooper valve but no matter how much I tried to open my eyelids they just felt like they were glued shut!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Strange....</i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Holy Shit, this is actually working!</i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And slowly (okay so pretty quickly actually) I began to fall deeper and deeper into hypnosis, going back further and further into my subconscious. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I didn't know is that our subconscious stores everything and when I say everything, I mean every sight, scent, words, actions, thoughts, feelings, events and behaviors from day dot; yup birth, and that by being hypnotized, we can recall these things from our subconscious and bring them back to the tips of our tongues! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Wait what? Gar! What's hidden in there? </i></b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Cummins+Bearings+and+Engineers&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=919&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Kv3jVNeuM4PX8gXAr4DYDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#tbm=isch&q=hypnotherapy&imgdii=_&imgrc=S1-b3hf-Am_EEM%253A%3BE2CkmdxygbrrMM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.souls-r-we.com%252FHypnotherapy.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.souls-r-we.com%252FHypnotherapy.html%3B262%3B300">Via</a> Your subconscious may hide the key to your happiness!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I went to see Chantelle to conquer my fear of public speaking but what I never ever could've imagined in a million years is that the cause of my public speaking fear wasn't a bad experience with talking in front of people. In fact, through hypnosis, we found that it was the first time in my life that I had ever felt powerless and unable to speak up that was the root for my anxiousness; a time that I couldn't even remember, or didn't even know how much it was still affecting me until this point!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How on earth do I know that this was the cause? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jingos don't ask me how she did, but here's what I can remember happening. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chantelle asked me to describe the feeling I felt when I thought about public speaking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I said<b> fear.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She asked me to think about the first time in my life that I had ever felt this way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ummmmmmmmmm.......God knows would be my normal response, but under hypnosis my subconscious bought some information to light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I couldn't answer at first, so Chantelle asked me to look at my hand and to tell her how old I was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Right in front of my eyes I saw a little girls hand, and I guessed she was around 8.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>What the heck? What is happening to me?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But I didn't feel scared under hypnosis. It didn't feel odd; it felt real.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was able to describe the event where I first felt fear in my life so clearly; so vividly in fact that I couldn't hold back the tears running down my face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was then that Chantelle "took me back to that event" as an adult, looking at the situation unfold as if I was a fly on the wall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had to reassure my 8 year old self, telling her what I would say to make her feel calm, in control and loved in that situation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then had to think of the place in my life that I feel the most calm, and loved so that I could recall these feelings when I'm in front of a crowd of people simply by touching my index finger to my thumb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next Chantelle had me describe how I felt when I was standing in front of a group of people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had to image myself hovering above an auditorium full of people, and create a funny scene with clowns, jugglers, and a streaker and anything I could think of to make the situation funny.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then had to imagine something that I didn't believe in; I choose aliens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She made me see that this idea in my head of being useless at public speaking was as silly as the picture of a green martian!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for funny green martian" 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" 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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Cummins+Bearings+and+Engineers&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=919&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Kv3jVNeuM4PX8gXAr4DYDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#tbm=isch&q=funny+green+martian">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, slowly, we built up positive images, thoughts and feelings in this scene in the auditorium in regards to public speaking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally I visualized my speech that I was going to deliver that night, realising my intentions for the speech, and picturing each topic and important dot point as a life raft on my way to a deserted island out in the middle of the sea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Chantelle taught me that the words in a speech don't matter; it's the emotions and passions that you express as you talk that touch people and will be what they remember and identify with.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I could see myself presenting confidently, with my audience engaged, laughing, looking and me and reacting to my speech in a positive way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I felt confident, excited and ready to deliver my speech that night!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Wait what? I never, ever thought that I would hear myself saying those things!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I left feeling quite drained after the ordeal, excited about the new opportunities that this presented for me, but completely robbed of all energy because of the emotions that had been bought to the surface!Chantelle ensured me that my energy levels would come flooding back very soon - and rest assured - they did!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had the opportunity to put hypnosis to the test that night, as I had been asked to give a talk on mental health to a club in Port Lincoln.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Usually I would be a complete wreck; unable to focus on anything else, feeling dizzy, unable to talk or eat, heart beating, with a million toilet stops, and while I still felt a little nervous I decided this was a good thing because it meant that I cared.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I practiced taking 3 deep breaths to calm myself and take charge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I kept a check on my thinking; replacing nervous with excited, repeating that I feel confident, I'm passionate about this topic, I know my story better then anyone, I want to do this, this is an exciting opportunity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I escaped down to the foreshore after work to catch my breath, clear my mind, and to try a bit of downward dog posing to calm my body and mind and then I thought this is it, bring it on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well you could knock me down with a feather but I did it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I DID IT!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I got up and spoke in front of 50 people, and barely used my notes. Not to brag but I had them eating out of the palms of my hands. They were hanging on to my every word, laughed when I cracked a joke and were even smiling at me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I could ask questions, and wait for it, actually listen to what they had to say and could have and a bit of a joke and answer them back!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Andddddd they even had questions for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One guy asked if he could have some of what I was on!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another asked how hypnotherapy went for me and I joked saying well I'm not clucking like a chicken and I'm not an absoloute nervous wreck so fabulously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps my biggest claim to fame was one guy who said it was the first time that he hadn't fallen asleep in a talk! WINNING!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the end of my speech a guy came onto the stage to thank me; I think I may have even had a little tear in my eye as he said how confident I was and how it was evident from my body language and emotions that I was very passionate about the topic and that it had rubbed off on them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And after, people came up to me to tell me their stories, to congratulate me, and to say they'd love to get involved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One thing that really stood out to me was my managers comment who said "I've seen you grow so much over the past year, from the first time you gave a speech and you were shaky and uncertain and almost lost for words, to standing up there tonight owning the stage."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't even begin to describe how empowered I feel; and what opportunities and doors this is opening for me on a personal level.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>It feels so good to let go.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>It feels so empowering to take charge.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>I feel so alive.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So no, I didn't cluck like a chicken and yes, I can safely say that hypnotism worked for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't recommend it enough to anyone else who is suffering from anxiety or depression, or feels like something is holding them back that they want to take charge of their life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look out world I say!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cheers to grabbing life by the balls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you like on the EP, I highly recommend you getting in touch with Chantelle Smith, she is truly amazing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<img alt="Indigo Phoenix" src="http://indigophoenix.com.au/wp-content/uploads/indigo-phoenix-logo1.png" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She runs <a href="https://www.facebook.com/indigophoenixhypnotherapy">Indigo Phoenix Hypnotherapy</a> in Port Lincoln.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check out her<a href="https://www.facebook.com/indigophoenixhypnotherapy"> facebook page</a>! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look after yourself and those around you,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not clucking just super happy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kirsty <u>x</u></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-15442476775484664832015-02-08T18:52:00.000-08:002015-02-08T18:55:04.491-08:00Becoming Mentally Fit; Will Hypnosis Cure My Public Speaking Anxiety?<div align="center">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saw this and giggled (1. because I love tacos, 2. because it's so goddamned cute!) Via</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm on my way, from misery to happiness a heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee - uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay okay, so maybe I should be singing "I'm on way, from pissing myself thinking about public speaking to taking control of my fearrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Anxiety comes in all shapes and forms. For some, it's the shape of a big, beady eyed, hairy legged spider that's best form is squished into the ground, while for others it's the thought of crashing into the sea while on board a plane, and finding yourself clinging onto debris with sharks circling around, that causes their body to go into melt down!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">For me, it's public speaking that turns me weak at the knees, makes me feel dizzy, and leaves me unable to think about or concentrate on anything else. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://lowres.cartoonstock.com/animals-present-presentation-successful-speaker-fear_of_public_speaking-tcrn510_low.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haha this pretty much sums up my anxiety! <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=803&q=public+speaking+phobia+funny&oq=public+speaking+phobia+funny&gs_l=img.3...2000.6099.0.6229.28.14.0.0.0.0.625.1519.3-1j0j2.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.61.img..25.3.1518.S_7mxxifyiI#imgdii=_&imgrc=8FpHxH5XVoOeSM%253A%3B2VrJXZzCOpu3XM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flowres.cartoonstock.com%252Fanimals-present-presentation-successful-speaker-fear_of_public_speaking-tcrn510_low.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cartoonstock.com%252Fdirectory%252Ff%252Ffear_of_public_speaking.asp%3B400%3B493">Via</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But enough's enough! I'm taking charge of my life, standing up to my fear, and showing it who is boss; yup, that's right, I've committed to two hypnotherapy sessions with the amazing Chantelle Smith from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/indigophoenixhypnotherapy">Indigo Phoenix Hypnotherapy</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> <img alt="Indigo Phoenix" src="http://indigophoenix.com.au/wp-content/uploads/indigo-phoenix-logo1.png" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Life's too short to let fear take control; particularly when it is stopping you from achieving your goals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This is all part of my goal to create a healthier, happier me, by freeing myself of the anxieties that are holding me back! I want to be mentally fit, so I have made the choice to do something about it! For so long I have avoided public speaking like the plague, or I find myself biting my tongue and shyly agreeing, meanwhile losing sleep, doing a little bit of wee in my pants, and feeling like I have neon signs above my head alerting everyone to the fact that I'm experiencing a mental breakdown (anyone else ever felt this way?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I know for some people, they're happy living their life with their phobia because it doesn't affect them on a day to day basis, or hold them back from achieving their goals (not everyone wants a pet snake!), but when you find yourself turning down opportunities, closing doors and hiding away from your dreams because you're frightened into inaction, then enough is enough!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.rottenecards.com/ecards/Rottenecards_2812465_vrx297mzmw.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giggle - okay so I usually grab life by the balls but I thought this was pretty funny! Look out life! <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=803&q=public+speaking+phobia+funny&oq=public+speaking+phobia+funny&gs_l=img.3...2000.6099.0.6229.28.14.0.0.0.0.625.1519.3-1j0j2.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.61.img..25.3.1518.S_7mxxifyiI#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=grabbing+life+by+the+balls&imgdii=_&imgrc=WlMcUjgvAJN_vM%253A%3B0X9RRFQiUIWFnM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rottenecards.com%252Fecards%252FRottenecards_2812465_vrx297mzmw.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rottenecards.com%252Fcard%252F61590%252Fi-dont-always-grab-life-by-th%3B420%3B294">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So I made it a personal goal of mine in 2015 to face the fears that had been holding me back, and right on top of my to do list was to do everything in my power to confidently give public speaking a crack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But how was I going to tackle my problem? In the past I'd still given it a go, despite my fears, but felt like I had totally missed the mark and walked away a blubbering mess. So even though practice makes perfect, I knew that I needed a little bit of extra help to guide me along the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And just when I'd thrown all of my cards in the air; something stuck - hypnotherapy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'd heard so many amazing things about hypnotherapy, like one friend who cured her fear of flying in just 2 sessions. She got to the point where she had crossed travelling overseas off of her bucket list, and started missing out on special events in Adelaide because she just couldn't bring herself to board a plane. After missing one of her close friends birthdays, she realised it was time to take control of her phobia, because she didn't want it to hold her back anymore. She booked in to see Chantelle, and within 2 sessions she was taking pictures out of the plane's window and helping other people who were suffering on board!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Another friend had a pain free, yes, you heard right, a PAIN free birth, after learning the tools and techniques of hypnobirthing! Yes, there's a photo of her in labour looking so relaxed and beautiful that she could be in the Bahamas floating around on an inflatable lay back chair with a cocktail in hand!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously - look how gorgeous she looks and she's in labour...the power of hypnobirthing!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I want what she's having!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly not using hypnobirthing! <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=803&q=public+speaking+phobia+funny&oq=public+speaking+phobia+funny&gs_l=img.3...2000.6099.0.6229.28.14.0.0.0.0.625.1519.3-1j0j2.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.61.img..25.3.1518.S_7mxxifyiI#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=painful+labour&imgdii=_&imgrc=98D0f53LCgmVfM%253A%3BXqrU4m0gxZEj-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimages.essentialkids.com.au%252F2015%252F01%252F22%252F6187323%252FArticle%252520Lead%252520-%252520wide6530021712vme1image.related.articleLeadwide.729x410.12vlyx.png1421885158855.jpg-620x349.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.essentialbaby.com.au%252Fbirth%252Fbirth-options%252Fdads-in-the-delivery-room-apparently-make-birth-more-painful-study-20150122-12vlyx.html%3B620%3B349">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Even thought I'd heard so much about hypnotherapy I still didn't really know how it worked (and just had this image in my head of me setting paralysed in a chair with my head moving from side to side focusing on a swaying watch!)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=803&q=public+speaking+phobia+funny&oq=public+speaking+phobia+funny&gs_l=img.3...2000.6099.0.6229.28.14.0.0.0.0.625.1519.3-1j0j2.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.61.img..25.3.1518.S_7mxxifyiI#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=hypntherapy+funny&imgdii=_&imgrc=0Pt5vPPhX0IE5M%253A%3Bj9fWIdLLM1y5YM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flowres.cartoonstock.com%252Ftheatre-hypnotism-chicken-hypnotic-hypnosis-hen-mwln81_low.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cartoonstock.com%252Fdirectory%252Fh%252Fhypnotherapy.asp%3B400%3B322">Via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">However after some research *cough a coffee date with the gorgeous Chantelle cough* my understanding of how hypnotherapy works is like this;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In my mind I have created all of these negative images, thoughts and feelings related to public speaking; </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-It scares me</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> - People will judge me</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-It makes me nervous</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-What if I make a mistake? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-What if I don't make sense?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I feel uncomfortable</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I stress out</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-What if I forget what I'm saying?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">- I feel dizzy</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">While in a hypnotic state, we take away all of these negative attachments to public speaking, and replace them with positive images, thoughts and feelings;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I can engage others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I can speak confidently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I know what I'm talking about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I can share knowledge and information.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I am capable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-People will respond positively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-I will feel satisfied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This helps to take away the power of your negative experiences and thoughts, and provides you with a positive experience with public speaking, so that you feel more confident the next time you engage a group of people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I am truly so excited to give hypnotherapy a crack and I can't wait to feel like nothing is holding me back anymore!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Look out world; I'm coming to get you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">To be continued....... (watch this space!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm going to share my experience with you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Have you ever thought of using hypnotherapy to cure your fear or phobia?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ps I really recommend checking out <a href="http://indigophoenix.com.au/about/">Chantelle's website</a> for my info! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">There's no time like the present.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Look after yourself and those around you,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Kirsty xxxx</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-48655778860589380472015-02-04T23:58:00.003-08:002015-02-05T00:16:23.921-08:00Mentally Unwell, Mentally Well and Mentally Fit; What's the Difference?<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/1525502_725660097525530_8071691075840765054_n.jpg?oh=32155b233643d067827d1a778b41cc7e&oe=555F2801&__gda__=1431931014_d240a719422e6ea51ca9c8f557d6573a" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="spotlight" height="200" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/1525502_725660097525530_8071691075840765054_n.jpg?oh=32155b233643d067827d1a778b41cc7e&oe=555F2801&__gda__=1431931014_d240a719422e6ea51ca9c8f557d6573a" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjuawDrCjtX2h3bk0h1af7finIrMP5DO3yrwBVMN1ZgUlCCGkFlqfpMjIrToTIGNVxzs6BdjoacEmbhLmS03Oop3bXru8K5kmiHx35Ws_wd0a6zVwygVkMm4UIQ2-Sz7nh7QyO3vvbNEv/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjuawDrCjtX2h3bk0h1af7finIrMP5DO3yrwBVMN1ZgUlCCGkFlqfpMjIrToTIGNVxzs6BdjoacEmbhLmS03Oop3bXru8K5kmiHx35Ws_wd0a6zVwygVkMm4UIQ2-Sz7nh7QyO3vvbNEv/s320/2.jpg" height="200" width="146" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_PZEyzIVS_zTdmFnGacD2ewSN13gGPaWjzGdIiFBNiN0R8KhD04tb5XEyCq6_CgTXmGUQgPZe6DcGOocktjCP8kUpX745_-V0g92TJYBmYu-X8_pQyxc-KtyjiueGfIVHMQ4AV1G1wJv/s1600/me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_PZEyzIVS_zTdmFnGacD2ewSN13gGPaWjzGdIiFBNiN0R8KhD04tb5XEyCq6_CgTXmGUQgPZe6DcGOocktjCP8kUpX745_-V0g92TJYBmYu-X8_pQyxc-KtyjiueGfIVHMQ4AV1G1wJv/s320/me.JPG" height="200" width="92" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Question; can you tell in which photo I am mentally well, mentally unwell and mentally fit?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Wait, what? Mentally well, mentally unwell and mentally fit? What do these terms mean and how do they differentiate from one another?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, I aliken "<strong>mental wellness"</strong> to being happy; 'loving life', being in control of your thoughts and feelings, having opportunities to improve your life, still having bad days but seeing them as just that, a bad day and not a bad life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It wasn't until 4 years ago that I experienced what it was like to become <strong>mentally unwell. </strong>My stress levels became unmanageable, triggering off anxiety, which coupled with a family history of depression, lead my down the path of mental illness. For me, becoming mentally unwell is your body's way of saying 'hey you, yes you', there's something going on that you are ignoring or not dealing with, that is forcing me to shut down. I am going to make you stop! Becoming mentally unwell strips you back to survival mode; forcing you to re-assess what is truly important in your life. Mental illness is often caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain, triggered by many different things, that makes you feel as though you have lost control of your thoughts, feelings and actions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">During my recovery phase, I came to understand and appreciate the concept of <strong>mental fitness. </strong>Often when we think of mental health, we instantly think about mental illness, but that is only one end of the spectrum; the polar opposite is being mentally fit. We all know what it takes to be physically fit; engaging in activities that increase our heart rate, eating a balanced diet, and a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears! But how on earth do I become mentally fit? Well, it's much the same as physical fitness; it's about engaging in activities that strengthens the mind, so that we can live happier and healthier lives; after all the brain is a pretty important part of your body and one that also needs exercising! Often mental fitness comes from self awareness, and learning tips, tricks and tools to make positive choices in our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>So now that you have a better understanding of the meanings, can you pick in which photo I am mentally well, mentally unwell and mentally fit?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Still can't? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I guess that's because mental health is measured more by how you <strong>feel</strong> and less by how you <strong>look</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So I know you're just dying to know which one's which...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>ANSWER; In the first photo I am mentally well, happy and content with life but I'm also a 'yes' girl, putting other people's needs before my own. I suffer from confidence issues, lack assertiveness, and while I have strong relationships in my life with other people, I lack a positive relationship with myself, constantly overthinking things, too scared to voice my opinions and beating myself up about my decisions.</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">In the second photo I am struggling with depression; feeling low, numb and hopeless. One of my friends literally had to drag me out of bed kicking and screaming to this event, as she knew the best thing for me was to leave the house! While I have accepted my experience with depression, it's still difficult looking back at this photo and thinking about just how difficult that time in my life was.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">In the last photo I am the happiest that I have ever been feeling confident, resilient, strong minded, assertive and in charge of my life....why? Because I have learnt the techniques and tools to become mentally fit. I no longer believe that's it's selfish to put yourself first, in fact I think it's a necessity. Everyday I practice mindfulness, I understand that I am in control of my thoughts, feelings and behaviours, I only say 'yes' to things if it's a 'hell yes', I schedule in time for myself in my diary, I make sure that I have at least 2-3 nights home a week, I take my happy pill everyday, I exercise regularly, I speak openly and honestly and I am genuinely happy. </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So what caused this big change? How can you too, become mentally fit? Why is it important to strive for mental wellness?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">These are all good questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I am of the mindset that finding a prevention is always better then finding a cure. We put sunscreen on to prevent skin cancer, we drive to the speed limits to prevent car accidents, and now we can take charge of our lives, and put ourselves first, to prevent mental illness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We know that 1 in 5 people are mentally unwell - how many people do you think would be mentally well and mentally fit?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After becoming sick I knew that I had to do everything in my power to prevent it from coming back, so I took charge of my life, and I continue to take charge of my life every single day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I hope to share my journey to becoming mentally fit with you, so that you too can experience what it's like to be empowered, and to feel in control of your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So what's the tip to success? It's quite simple really; choosing to put yourself first, and understanding that you, not the external world, are in control of your thoughts, feelings and actions, as well as choosing to put your mental health as a focus, will help you to become mentally fit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We'll explore this further in the next few weeks...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What do you do to keep mentally fit?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Look after yourself and those around you,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Kirsty xxx</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-52820130633509762002015-01-28T00:25:00.001-08:002015-01-28T16:40:42.835-08:00Hypnotherapy; No Clucking Like a Chicken - Just Kissing Goodbye to Your Phobia!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="tagline-quote" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #b39d9b; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="tagline-quote" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #b39d9b; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 18px;">I can't change the world, but </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 18px;">I can </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 18px;">change the world within you!</span><span class="tagline-quote" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #b39d9b; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span><span class="tagline-quote" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #b39d9b; font-family: 'Goudy Bookletter 1911', arial, serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chantelle Smith.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meet Chantelle; isn't she gorgeous! I can't wait to explore the power of hypnotherapy!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJgLq2iLhtyrJBfgc-A_ZlNaoyPihSPRE8uuhWk7fVokRDiFTMlaS2xyRR7Ne8-rI29y6EfCwDLivWgsviL4vZJRato-kStzD-YJw_vf_DM4uhXb7bvprf4F21CuSlwaGS70o7ZLXl3NH/s1600/IMG_61873058128708.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Imagine if you could cure your phobia? Some people are quite happy to continue living their merry little lives while keeping spiders and snakes at arms length but what happens if your phobia is something that is causing you to hold back from achieving certain goals and personal experiences; phobias like jumping on an aeroplane and travelling the world or educating large groups of people by sharing your story? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>How would your </i><i>life</i><i> be </i><i>changed</i><i> </i><i>by</i><i> </i><i>facing</i><i> your fear? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>What things could you achieve that you have always wanted to do, but have brushed aside because you never thought it'd be a possibility because of the anxiety that pulses through your body at just the thought?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Well, I'm all for taking charge, grabbing life by the balls, and giving things a good shake up, and that's why I've invited the inspiring Chantelle from Indigo Phoenix to tell us all about the power of hypnotherapy!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Yes that's right, no clucking like a chicken, just using the power of the mind to find the root behind your phobia! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Here's to conquering fears and achieving goals we never thought possible... Your next pet might just be a tarantula! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <b>Hypnotherapy; will I cluck </b><b>like</b><b> a chicken?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You are not the first to ask this question and I guarantee you will not be the last. Hypnosis cannot make you do anything you wouldn't normally do in the waking state, being anything that goes against your values and beliefs. Anything you can do in waking state you can do so much better in hypnosis, as it is simply a heightened state of awareness and acceptance. Furthermore, to debunk some other ‘Hollywood' myths - hypnosis is not mind control. It is in fact the opposite - it is supreme self control, as you are finally taking control of your subconscious mind to achieve your desired results. You cannot get ‘stuck' in hypnosis because in the thousands and thousands of years it has been practised in one form or another, there has never been one recorded case. If I left you in hypnosis and went home for the day (which I can assure you I would never do), your subconscious mind would most likely alert you to the fact that something was not quite right and you would bring yourself out of the trance or alternatively you would feel so relaxed you would drift into sleep and wake up naturally. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hypnosis is a trance-like state we as humans drift in and out of daily, particularly just before you go to sleep and just as you're waking from sleep (a feeling likened to being not quite conscious but not quite asleep either; drifting somewhere in between). Another common example of hypnosis is when you're driving home and you suddenly realise that you can't recall a certain section of that drive home and whether you did or did not go through the red light or intersection! You will note games, televisions and phones are particularly hypnotic in nature because, as is the common expression, you "zone out" focusing solely on it - sometimes to the point you may not hear others talking to you (or it could just be selective hearing!) Hypnosis is therefore a very natural state of mind experienced daily!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why would I choose hypnotherapy? How could it help me?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think the easiest way to answer these questions is to explain it like this. Every single thing we experience becomes an image in our mind, so let us imagine each image is a vehicle. Some vehicles will operate better than others, as they are powered by strong emotions - the fuel, and some vehicles are obviously more positive and beneficial, however at times the negative old unwanted vehicles overtake the positive ones, simply because they have a stronger fuel source! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hypnotherapy deals with the emotion, taking away the fuel source from the negative old unwanted vehicles. Then through the state of hypnosis we then break the habits and associations that built up the unwanted vehicle. To put simply, this strips the unwanted vehicle (taking away its tyres, its frame, its engine, etc) and with the vehicle in pieces and without fuel, it no longer functions; it is now garbage! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now those positive vehicles, the ones that you like driving which make life fun, easy and enjoyable - imagine giving them a boost and making them so powerful that nothing can overtake them. That's how we finalise our sessions - we add things to these vehicles which build them up even more (maybe it's the spoiler or the leather seats or the sports stripes you always wanted), and then we fill it up with the most powerful fuel source! All of a sudden this positive vehicle can function daily, with little or no thought as to how to operate! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That positive change you wanted to make, the one which seemed hard or on-and-off and which used to get overtaken, now seems effortless, easy and basically feels as if you had been driving that way the whole time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So now that you're aware that it's your garage and you're the sole owner responsible for the vehicles in it, and realising you have always been the mechanic, which vehicles will you now allow to remain functional and which are you going to dismantle?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>How hypnotherapy impacted my life and changed others too.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hypnotherapy flipped my world upside down, and then I could finally look at things the right way. I had an amazing and enviable childhood filled with brilliant loving memories and the most phenomenal supporting family, however in my late teenage years I experienced depression. It was a major learning curb, though admittedly it was quite difficult to find the positives in it at the time. However upon reflection, I simply did not have enough tools and resources in my toolbox to help me understand depression at that time. That was until I experienced hypnotherapy for myself, and it changed my life. I will not go into too much detail, as you can read more about my personal journey<a href="http://indigophoenix.com.au/mypersonaljourney/"> <b>here</b>. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since starting my business, I have now been honoured to assist countless people in making changes they thought were too hard or not possible! Every client is a rewarding experience for me and every client I am grateful for, but my most memorable client was a lady who had severe anxiety (she would vomit just thinking about the feeling and have a severe panic attack) - she had had experienced this anxiety for approximately 40+ years and it had only intensified with time. When we got to the cause of the feeling, which had her sort through some very personal and confronting situations of a family member inappropriately touching her, she was able to session-by-session alleviate the feeling. In the last session she was inspiringly able to forgive those who had wronged her and with this she commented on a "bright white light" in her heart. When I asked her to explain it, she started crying - happy and relieved tears - and she said to me "for years I have not been able to have a man love me because of what happened to me as a child, but for the first time in my life I feel my heart is ready to love and be loved again". After 4 sessions she had not only alleviated her anxiety and gained some incredible coping mechanisms for the future, she had also as a secondary gain to the consults opened her heart to receive love again. I mean how much more rewarding can it be for me than to have a client heal and change their life right in front of my eyes, all through the power of their own mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right, so here goes, no more excuses, it's time to take life by the horns! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have just booked myself two appointments! Look out large crowds of people I'll be speaking in front of you soon (and probably imaging you naked!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To find out more, like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/indigophoenixhypnotherapy">Indigo Phoenix on Facebook</a> or visit the website by clicking on the logo below!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://indigophoenix.com.au/"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFbhBVXYexSdo2DQ33X7Z5N8pqyau1Xyn8y6YOd0DjRRFcSWMyuhIqfxtlOmeo-ooSHV6OF_N1oGJjbi9w46BR10n-Fge30z8X-F5oTtU-wxmapghoqgPMKRYNibdfVHcUFr6XTwajsMq/s640/image001.jpg" /></a> </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-27185203255832133592015-01-27T02:12:00.001-08:002015-01-27T22:15:34.375-08:00Feeling Pain to Heal the Pain; Living For My Sister<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Today I welcome the </i><i>down</i><i> to earth, gorgeous, </i><i>inspirational</i><i> Brooke to my blog. A friend of mine recommended liking <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1447234318848548/">Brookes </a></i><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1447234318848548/">Facebook</a></i><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1447234318848548/"> page</a> </i><i>when</i><i> I was complaining about needing a kick up the </i><i>bum</i><i> to motivate me to exercise. She said Brooke was just the woman to give me that extra boost </i><i>that</i><i> I needed. So while I padded by bum, I went on to like her page and was </i><i>blown</i><i> away by her story and reasons for </i><i>turning</i><i> her life around and focusing her energy on exercise to help heal the pain of a big event in her life.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Thanks Brooke for </i><i>aspiring</i><i> to </i><i>inspire</i><i>!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I was asked about a month ago to be a guest blogger for Kirsty's wonderful</i> site after she had seen a video clip that I had made for a Women's Wellness night in Port Lincoln during Mental Health Week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was completely honoured and couldn't wait to sit down and start writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Turns out I can't write; I was never good at anything really in school. I was terrible at English, I hated reading, and I couldn't write a poem to save myself. I started writing this blog about 5 different times. I would write a full page, and then the next day I would find myself deleting it. I remember one night I woke up about midnight with a lead and started typing it up on my Iphone. I was so excited about being on a roll. Once again, I woke in the morning and scraped the lot. It seemed I had nothing to write about; I was blank.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Turns out, I need to feel damaged, hurt, or heartbroken to be able to put pen to paper. When my heart is cut, raw and open, I am surprisingly slightly gifted; I am capable of anything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The funny thing about this crazy world is that when you are put into a difficult situation that destroys who you are, where you have come from, and your future is left in the unknown, you act in a way that you never expected you would.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you sometimes find yourself sitting back being judgmental towards others with how they are dealing with a situation? A marriage breakdown, parenting skills, losing loved ones?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know I have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have sat there and said to myself “if that was me I would have done this” or things like “I can't believe how strong they are, if that was me I would be like..."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>One of the easiest things us humans seem to do, is put ourselves so easily into other peoples shoes and believe we would do things better off, differently, completely opposite.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One thing I had to learn, was when I was put into a life changing situation, no amount of planning, or figuring out “if that was me” before</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hand, was to ever prepare me for what was to happen. I would say, that in times of devastation, everyone deals with it differently to what they ever thought they would.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the 5th of August 2013, was that moment for me; the moment my little sister left this world to fly high in the sky, after 26 wonderful years on this harsh planet called Earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's something no one can explain, the way one feels when they lose someone so close to them. Even other people who have lost sisters would feel differently to me, as we are all different, we all feel and hurt differently, we deal with things and cope differently. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I did used to pray to god (I don't even know if I believe in god) that someone could feel my pain, so they could understand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My dear husband lost his brother a few years earlier and not even he could feel my pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Nothing anyone did, or said made the pain go away. In this moment, I found myself surrounded by so many friends and family, yet I had never felt so alone in my life.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It didn't take long before my body went into shock and I found myself in (what I realise now) ‘Fight or Flight’ mode. The term ‘fight or flight’ describes a mechanism in the body that enables humans and animals to mobilize a lot of energy rapidly in order to cope with threats to survival.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was staying here to fight! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I kept thinking of everything my sister would be telling me. I started doing all the things she would want to do if she was here, and I started doing it for her; I started fighting for my happiness.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved exercising, and I was very much into it before she left but it was at this point that I started to become addicted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We all get addicted to something that takes away the pain.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would go off on my run. The first few minutes were not that hard, but once I was away from the world, having 3 children constantly in my presence, was when I felt free. While at home I was holding a brave face, waking up living life as if everything was fine, washing, cleaning, cooking, and entertaining the kids, I didn't get time to myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Running was my escape; I felt the closest to my sister. It was a time I could put all my time and energy into thinking about her, which would turn into crying for her, screaming to the world but no one could hear. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My runs would turn into a walk, then a shuffle, fighting to breathe as the pain would pour out of my body and soul; the tears that I had held in to hide from the children. With my shuffling feet I would find a way to a rock or beach or patch of dirt to sit on, and then when the tears were all gone, my thoughts were empty and I had finally reached the point of being an empty soul staring into space, numb, and lifeless with nothing left to give, I knew it was time to go home and face the world again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would eventually regain my life, my thoughts, and legs, and I would run all the way home. This was my routine for awhile. But over time, what I was discovering is that my running was taking away my pain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I would come home after the most exhausting run, mentally and emotionally, but I was happy, I looked forward to seeing my kids, I could smile for them, I felt so alive, and energized. Releasing everything I had held in to a point of having nothing left, was setting me free.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Over time I found these runs slowly getting less and less painful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am a true believer that emotions should not be held in; they should be let out, set yourself free, talk to someone. When people struggle with terrible, hard or difficult times, they seem to be embarrassed by it; ashamed that people will think they aren't strong enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One thing I never did was hide my emotions because why should I be ashamed that I cry for my sister? She's my sister, who I love and miss, and there is no shame in sharing the love and pain you feel for missing someone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>One thing I did notice, was a lot of people don't know how to deal with someone who is struggling. I would say it's better to be there for them, then to run and hide; someone else's tears on your shoulder never hurt anyone, but it can heal many lonely souls.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found that in my most rawest moments, I could discover talents that I never knew that I had. I remember once drawing a picture of my sister. I had this thought in the middle of the night, I got up, and straight away did the drawing in a few hours. I have not been able to get back into that head space of focusing to do another one since. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I wrote so many poems when I was at my worst, so many I can't count. They just came to me when I wasn't even thinking of writing a poem. My mind was ticking 100 miles an hour for months non stop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At this very moment, 15 months after she left, I can't think of one single poem to write.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And even know I'm struggling with knowing what to write. I have tried so hard to come up with something. I have listened to all my sisters songs, I watched all her videos, trying to get myself focused, to feel the raw pain in my heart, but I couldn't get there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>This leads me to safely believe I have finally come out of the “fight” mode; I am slowly recovering from the rawness I found myself in.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My life changed forever the day she left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can never go back to the old me. How could I? The old me had never experienced such heartbreak, devastation, and I had never lived without my sister. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The pain is forever there in my soul, but as time goes by, I am learning to deal with it. I have become an amazingly strong and powerful women. The things that used to bother me, no longer do. I have learnt that life is too short to waste doing things you don't enjoy or spending time with people who bring you down.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life is a special gift, taken away from us without warning for some, no time to think, to do the things you wished you had done, it can just disappear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> Every day that I wake up I am truly thankful to be given another day, another chance to do what I love to do, to change what I don't like, and to become the best person I can possibly be. For we all have the chance to be amazing. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There will always be hard times, you will get knocked down but know that you always have the choice to stand back up and fight again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>My fight in life now is for true happiness; to make myself proud, to love who I am, and to reach for my full potential.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>When we focus on our own true happiness, everything and everyone around us falls into place. So always remember to take care of yourself, and never give up the fight for true happiness.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I find happiness is in the little things, when you least expect them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tonight when I sat down on the couch, I was on Facebook and came across Angus and Julia Stone's page. On the blog it has Julia's favourite songs. As I was listening to a few of them, it was this simple song by Agnes Obel called Falling, Catching that hit home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was just the piano playing, and it took my breathe away. I had a flash back of my childhood, living on Eltham Ave in Port Lincoln, with my older sister playing the Piano. She was amazing. And all I could see was my little sister at a very young age. This was the moment that hit me, opened my heart, and the tears flowed. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And I put the song on repeat, and now I have just finished my piece; turns out I can write, once again, at my rawest moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Never be scared to feel the pain; I haven't cried for my sister in a long time -it is nice to let go, and be with her.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I say to my Stay Fitness & Wellbeing team.... If you are reading this, that means you are alive, and what a special gift that is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love Brooke x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ps Brooke I think you're a pretty amazing writer! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pss do you get the feeling Brooke's sister is the one kicking her but now? Haha</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing picture that Brooke draw of her sister; Simone! Isn't amazing what one can achieve when they are grieving?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are looking for someone to kick your butt into gear with super helpful, practical and easy peasy exercises and recipes then I highly recommend liking Brooke's facebook page; </span><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1447234318848548/"><span style="font-size: large;">STAY Fitness and Wellbeing</span></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-40270496490151085782014-12-20T16:12:00.001-08:002014-12-20T16:16:12.582-08:00I Love my Red Hair; a Poem for my Niece <p dir="ltr">If there's one thing that I can teach my niece it would be to love and accept her red hair. Born a blonde I've copped my fair share of jokes, but at the end of the day I just laugh and use it to my advantage and blame things on my silly yellow hair!</p>
<p dir="ltr">So to all rangas out there, embrace your red hair, it's what makes you unique! </p>
<p dir="ltr">And to Meeks,  I wouldn't change a thing about you my precious little girl.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">When people see me they stop and stare;</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Why little girl, what gorgeous red hair".</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Oh and check out those curls, they're gorgeous too,</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'd love to have hair, just like you."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"It's just hair," I say, "it's only a small part of me,"</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Some call me ginger, carrot top and ranga" but I don't worry. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When people ask if I have a temper I say look out!</p>
<p dir="ltr">And I giggle and laugh because there's no need to shout.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm a little girl that was born without a care,</p>
<p dir="ltr">And oh how I love my pretty red hair!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">Love always,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Aunty Kirsty <u>xxx</u></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbingSCsBtrVvaGExVCzKipCow0uTw5HtA7zXWNFeJXo3ucqfVwO8QECHAaKACVVjzs9ETCpjsm0_vEtt-9nWNr44iiDHjgi5Zc7wll4e9EgtNkQAUs7LTCkB-na8b1VpfKGzZ_iNpN-x/s1600/IMG_193320036058095.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbingSCsBtrVvaGExVCzKipCow0uTw5HtA7zXWNFeJXo3ucqfVwO8QECHAaKACVVjzs9ETCpjsm0_vEtt-9nWNr44iiDHjgi5Zc7wll4e9EgtNkQAUs7LTCkB-na8b1VpfKGzZ_iNpN-x/s640/IMG_193320036058095.jpeg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-48434155430094812092014-11-12T17:17:00.001-08:002014-11-12T17:33:29.318-08:00Facebook; Why I'm Culling My Friends List<p dir="ltr">It was a thought provoking and passionate discussion over a few too many wines the other night that got me thinking about the role that Facebook plays in my life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Hi, my name is Kirsty,  and I'm 100% addicted to Facebook. The first thing I do in the morning and the last thing that I do at night,  is scroll through my news feed,  checking out the goss and I'm even known for taking my phone on the toilet for a good old facestalk".</p>
<p dir="ltr">But why? Why is it that admittedly, I spend my "spare time stalking?" What is it that I'm looking for or hope to find? Do I really have 500+ friends?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Why did I join Facebook in the first place?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Well....I joined because;</p>
<p dir="ltr">-I saw the potential to share my life, photographs and adventures with my friends and family.</p>
<p dir="ltr">-It's cheaper then sending picture messages.</p>
<p dir="ltr">-I could stay connected to my friends overseas.</p>
<p dir="ltr">-It was a great platform to share my blog with a wider audience.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In an essence, I loved Facebook because I saw the potential that it had to strengthen the relationships around me, especially as we all started going our own ways and could no longer pop around to each others houses to share stories and photos over coffee.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But somewhere along the way my view of Facebook has been tarnished and I couldn't pinpoint why until recently.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I actually think that Facebook is starting to do an <b>injustice </b>to relationships. </p>
<p dir="ltr">What on earth do I mean by that?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Well, once upon a time the only people who knew about your overseas adventures,  latest renovations and purchases, excitement about your child's achievements,  and shared the intimate details of your life were your closest friends and family. </p>
<p dir="ltr">And how did your closest friends come by this information? </p>
<p dir="ltr">You'd arrange a catch up date soon after you'd touched back down in Australia to whip out your slideshow of overseas photos, pop open a bottle of champers,  and elaborately share the details of the time you got lost in Rome, or the disgusting snails you ate in Paris, or when you almost got ran over by the crazy motorbikes in Saigon. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Or as soon as your baby pulled themselves up on their own two feet you'd pick up the phone and tell your best friend, stoked that your child has reached a new milestone, and you'd laugh about hiding everything within arms reach and the craziness that comes with independence. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Now, how many times when you catch up with someone and they begin a conversation with excitement and emotion about the journey they've been on do you find yourself saying, "yeah I know,  I saw it in Facebook" to which the person goes "oh yeah" and the conversation turns to something else? </p>
<p dir="ltr">What are we missing out on here?</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Connecting emotionally with </b><b>another</b><b> </b><b>human</b><b> being?</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Do we make as much effort to see our friends and family now that we're "so connected on Facebook" or do we feel as though we "see them enough" and "know what's going on in their life" because they pop up in our news feed? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Do you still arrange to catch up with friends when they return from their holiday to <b>hear </b>about the stories,  excitement and adventures they faced on their trip that can't be captured in photos and tag lines on Facebook? </p>
<p dir="ltr">What are we missing out on here?</p>
<p dir="ltr">But it also got me thinking that perhaps it's not just our close friends who miss out on "emotionally connecting with us" and being fortunate enough to share our lives with us, that maybe it's also impacting our ability to create lasting relationships with other people?</p>
<p dir="ltr">What do I mean by this?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Well, when once upon a time we would've stopped in our tracks in the street to catch up and say hi to someone we hadn't seen in ages, now do we just walk on by because we already "know what's going on in their life" because we've seen it on Facebook? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Are we jumping to conclusions and closing ourselves off to meeting new people and engaging in conversations because we already know about their life?</p>
<p dir="ltr">What are we missing out on here?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Engaging in conversations and making the time in our lives to stop and say hello because our newsfeed keeps us up to date?</p>
<p dir="ltr">I've come to the conclusion that I <b>value</b><b> </b>getting to know someone face to face,  rather then feeling like I <b>know them </b>through their newsfeed updates.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I've come to realize that the reason I love seeing the photos of my close friends lives popping up on my facebook is because I know the <b>story </b>behind the photograph. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I know the person isn't taking the photos to brag about their life, or to create a false pretension for what's really going on behind the scenes,  I know that I can laugh, cry, empathize and pray for my close friends when photos, quotes and "news" pops up because I have a relationship with that person off of Facebook; Facebook only helps to strengthen my love for that person because I get to share photos and stories that are otherwise more expensive and difficult to share when you live away from each other.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So I've decided that I'm going to cull my Facebook friend list to only those whom I have a relationship with off of Facebook, so that if by chance I see you in the street and I haven't spoken to you in ages, I'll stop and say hello and hear about your life from you; and it'll give our relationship a chance to become personalized.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So don't be offended if you don't make the cut, take it as a compliment that I want the opportunity to get to know you past the pictures you post in my newsfeed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Don't forget that if you love my blog you can stay connected by searching for regular posts online! </p>
<p dir="ltr">And to my close friends, I look forward to sharing my life with you xx</p>
<p dir="ltr">What do you think? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Look after yourselves and those around you,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Kirsty xxx</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2rHglAWZ3xDuSiTaA2xRSay8skjdn-GJUTnT3CUmJH6uAdJVuMk8pAr9PvUOeVSQRZA5uzclDhf35Yt9lIVJI3hRAEIuAZU5IYHycTwAOQxnZNd2C6ddBVzlHY2u-Uve_2VPM0RN7t7I/s1600/aGrh3x2DJO2QQtiG4tDmcpC6GRDoVqecT36k4Zifl5spHR_5rt_H_NYELtMksbXnsgJbxHs0ZKdwrIx_c6dxfHl03UpEvOoclUOYn4WwYNNboJBvZWE5axEs_JJGq5JCfbcBWvA%25253Dw580-h451-nc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2rHglAWZ3xDuSiTaA2xRSay8skjdn-GJUTnT3CUmJH6uAdJVuMk8pAr9PvUOeVSQRZA5uzclDhf35Yt9lIVJI3hRAEIuAZU5IYHycTwAOQxnZNd2C6ddBVzlHY2u-Uve_2VPM0RN7t7I/s640/aGrh3x2DJO2QQtiG4tDmcpC6GRDoVqecT36k4Zifl5spHR_5rt_H_NYELtMksbXnsgJbxHs0ZKdwrIx_c6dxfHl03UpEvOoclUOYn4WwYNNboJBvZWE5axEs_JJGq5JCfbcBWvA%25253Dw580-h451-nc.jpeg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12285576713037379346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652565270497580470.post-8493889417560069712014-11-05T17:49:00.001-08:002014-11-05T17:51:30.086-08:00Everyday is an Opportunity<p dir="ltr">Everyday is an opportunity to make a change, turn an "I wish" into a "can do" and make a difference. <br></p>
<p dir="ltr">What are you going to do today? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Look after yourself and those around you,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Kirsty <u>xxx</u></p>
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