Hello there!

Well it has been a while since I was on here that is for sure. I can’t believe that almost a year has passed since I last wrote! I figured it was time to touch base quickly and let you all know what is happening in this part of the world.

Life has been a bit all over the place with work I have to say. I have been majorly re-evaluating everything and trying to decide the best way forward; both for the business and life. This blog was obviously one thing that slipped and some of you who are subscribed to my newsletter may have noticed that I have not sent any out for a while – or maybe not :). Things were just beginning to feel a bit forced and creating content wasn’t really bringing me joy anymore. It was beginning to feel more and more like a challenge and one that I didn’t see the point in. Letting go of posting blogs and sending newsletters, along with the guilt I felt at first, was the start of wee changes with regards to my business and my mindset.

Enjoying some time out in nature with the dogs

So many of my endeavours have begun with me projecting in the future, out into the ether rather than focusing on the here and now. The newsletter in particular was one of those; I began it hoping that it would reach millions, sky-rocketing my business into an online success, never mind that I didn’t really have an online business to match. I also began it because I felt I had to and that it was expected of me but that gets exhausting after a while. It felt like it was time to give myself a break. Coming to that realization has been liberating and challenging in equal measure. I want to share the knowledge I have because I really believe it can help others and make a positive difference to their lives, I’m just not 100% sure how most days. Is putting energy into online content better or those face to face interactions?

So many ‘signs’ and ‘messages’ have come to me lately, from many different places, about being in the present moment and doing things because they feel right that I figure it may be time to listen. So, I’m trying to live a bit more in the now rather than my usual racing into what may come. I’m taking some time out, re-evaluating life in general and making some space. I am also working on doing things because they feel right and are life affirming rather than because they are expected or that they may bring me validation in some way. Everyone likes being validated I know and I’m no different but I could feel that what began in my head as something good to do for others quickly turned into something that may bring me validation or praise. This was even before I had put the project into practice.

The first of my updated books on Smashwords

I have still been teaching at the local Woman’s Centre which I always love and also , taking some time to cultivate a few skills. I have been working on connecting more with people despite my natural introvert tendencies, listening more and talking less. In my bid to do stay in the moment with positive action I have been giving away some of the print versions of my books to people I have worked with. It has felt good hearing the need and then gifting the books to people who will use them. The extra space on my bookshelf is very nice too. In doing so though it also highlighted some errors that were in the text, missed edits that needed rectifying. So I have begun updating my e-books which I created so long ago to ensure that the best copy of them is available online. It has been its own validation of sorts as I read the words over and realize that I wouldn’t change the content even 7 years later.

It has also made me see that the time has come to combine all this knowledge, in my e-books and in my head, into one. I can see that reflexology was a little ‘light’ on the ground in those earlier e-books due to my feelings of not being good enough so now it is time to add it in. Combining all my e-books and some extra information which I teach on my ‘Balancing Life’ course is my mission at the moment work wise, that and having my regular reflexology clients. It is a slow start and I’m yet to make a deadline for myself however everyday I am carving a little space for it. Wish me luck and hopefully I’ll be posting about its release before the year is out!

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

The holiday let down

Well I’m at a bit of a loss for inspiration this week after arriving back from a warm winter break in Fiji to the strong icy winds that we have blowing here at the moment.  All I really want to do is snuggle up in bed with a good book!!  So following that thought I’ve decided to just go with the ‘lazy flow’ and share my e-books with you ….. in case you have the urge to snuggle up with a book too 🙂

Take it Easy

In this busy interconnected and wired-up world stress seems to be a natural part of daily life. Right? Wrong! Life doesn’t have to be a rush. What if you could take it easy and create a ‘stress-less’ life for yourself? With my simple tools and ideas you can discover simple ways to reduce your stress and be on your way to creating exactly that – A ‘Stress-Less’ Life. This e-book will guide you through five simple steps to help you create a life where you are enjoying your days and experiencing less stress while improving your health and well-being.

 

Magnificent Mamas (really for anyone though as it has all my pearls of wisdom in it)

Regain balance, rediscover the joy in each day and live your dream with this 12 week program. Life is busy and when children are added to the mix life can get hectic. Often it is easy to lose sight of the things that really matter and forget to give time to yourself along with remembering your dreams. Now Magnificent Mamas with take you through week by week to create the life that you want and can have. There are tips and ideas for finding balance, for self- care and for achieving your goals and dreams.

 

Creating a Vivacious You

Losing weight and feeling great doesn’t have to be complicated or cost lots of money. In a world where we are bombarded with new ‘diets’, ‘quick fix’ solutions and numerous products for improving our lives it is easy to forget that actually the basic rules for having health and well-being still apply. This book guides you through some ‘back to basics’ steps which will help you to feel healthier, feel happier and help create your ideal body.

 

 

Finding Calm and Balance

This comprehensive guide has everything you need to use Bach Flower Remedies with confidence. Find out how you can begin to gain more balance, more calm and less stress naturally through using Bach Flower Remedies. This guide covers what Bach Flower Remedies are, how to select them for yourself and others, how to use them and affirmations to support your chosen remedies along with a section on using Bach Flower Remedies with children. If you are interested in becoming healthy naturally and healing then this is a must have book for you.

 

Mother’s Little Helper

Discover easy, natural remedies and ideas for healing your children with Mother’s Little Helper by Yossarian Fay. This book is loaded with ideas to help you to continue on your journey of Becoming Healthy and ensure your children are becoming healthy too. There are recipes, kitchen cures, a section on using Bach Flower remedies with children, information on how to use EFT and reflexology with your children, making this a must have book for your collection.

 

Hope this finds you relaxed, mentally nourished and ready to enjoy the week ahead

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Winter Wellness – Part 4 – Lose the stress

This week I am gearing up to do my first 3 hour exam in over 20 years and I am feeling the stress creeping in with each day moving me closer to it.   It is amazing how sly stress can be! Honestly, just when I think that I’m on top of things and have this study thing sorted life gets on top of me and before I know it, I’m feeling that tension throughout my body.  

Thankfully we have lots of nature to get out into and de-stress

The bus isn’t the easiest place to study I have to say, apparently if you can be seen you must be spoken to :), and when you’re in a small town there aren’t that many quiet places to head off to either. So, I’m trying my best to get out of the stress loop by using the tools in my kete (basket) that I know work for me.  I figured that in a culture which too often rates your ability to cope under stress as an indicator of people’s success, others may like to try some of these little beauties to remove some of that stress naturally rather than having to ‘cope’ with it.

Get moving.  Exercise (aerobic especially) is proven to help relieve stress and other negative emotions such as depression.  When we move our bodies, it helps loosen and work all those muscles that you may be holding in tension, it gets you changing your focus, in increases oxygen to the brain and best of all those ‘feel good’ hormones get released.  Any kind of movement is good so pick one that you love and try and get out in nature with it to increase the benefits. 

Have a laugh.  Laughing creates a euphoric effect that will instantly release any tension you have. It can trigger the release of endorphins (the body’s natural pain killers and feel good hormone) which helps you to feel better all over and to relax.  Laughter yoga is now offered in many places and can be a great way to connect with new people however failing that it may just be a good excuse to watch those comedies, silly youtube clips and share all those jokes you have!

Count to 10.  Taking deep breathes and a wee bit of time out is an age old classic that costs nothing and is very effective. The key to this is breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth as this helps relax the whole body … it is hard to keep tension in your body with your mouth open.  Research also shows that deep breathing helps trigger the vagus nerve (a cranial nerve which helps regulate the heart, digestion and lungs) and works with the parasympathic nervous system to bring us into that ‘rest and digest’ state of being rather than stuck in ‘fight/flight or freeze’ state of being. 

Meditate.  Even 5 mins a day of meditation will help stress levels though of course the longer you meditate the greater the benefits. This doesn’t have to be a big deal just find a quite spot, close your eyes (or look downwards, relaxing your gaze) and clear your mind of as much as you can.  First thing in the morning to ‘set you up’ for the day or last thing at night to help you unwind and get a good sleep can be really effective times.  There are loads of apps out there now which can help you get into the right headspace.

Essential oils.  Scent has a powerful impact on our bodies and can bring up memories and emotions easily. This is in part due to the fact that the olfactory nerve (whose nerve fibres in the nose allow us smell) are connected to the limbic system in the brain, rather than going through the cerebral cortex (our thinking part) which triggers these ‘primitive’ responses to what we are smelling.  Lavender is the most popular relaxant but there are plenty others to try.  This link may help you to begin your experimentation with scent.

Stretch.  A good stretch can help with the physical symptoms of stress.  Like exercise it gets you moving those muscles that may have been held in tension. Try a class of yoga which will combine breathing, stretching and exercise for a real stress reliever or even a basic stretch at your desk and see how good it feels. Here is a link to a few suggestions.

Bach Flower Remedies.  As many of you know I love Bach Flower Remedies and I’m a big believer that emotions dictate our health unless we intervene.  Bach Flowers are designed to work on emotions and can target the source of your negative emotions helping to increase the positive.  White Chestnut is a classic for those who continue with ‘mental conversations and/or internal arguments’, whereas Agrimony can help those who hide their stress behind a smile.  If you want to learn more and try a treatment bottle then check out my FREE quiz to find your remedies (don’t worry you don’t have to sign up to anything) and e-mail me to make you up a bottle. Otherwise you can find out more about Bach Flowers and have your own guide by checking out my book ‘Finding Calm and Balance’ which is on sale at a special price for the next week or so, along with my other e-books.

Only 99c (US) at the moment along with my other books

Hope this finds you a little calmer, a little less tense and enjoying the life you have.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Products and services

My blog is still coming at you tomorrow with a yummy pizza recipe however after struggling and procrastinating about getting this on here I thought I would share 🙂 Plus I wanted to give ‘Press this’ a try!

Products and services.

Also got a new free e-book coming soon so I’ll let you know when that is coming.

 

Arohanui and sweet dreams from NZ

Ý