The power of the exhale...

I had a really interesting chat with my fabulous yoga teacher Denise from Wellbeing@Work before class yesterday...she always has a pearl of wisdom to offer, and last night was no different.

Make the exhale active.

This was the succinct message that came out of a meditation course that she attended on the weekend with a Swami...yep a real Swami!

So what does that mean?

Well as Denise said, we put so much emphasis on the inhale - particularly in yoga. 


And usually, the exhale is all about relaxing and letting go so you can sink further into the posture. We just let that happen.

If you use the same analogy for life, usually we put the emphasis on the bringing in...getting more and more and more.

And we don't tend to put as much focus on the exhale, which is letting go and releasing...be it of possessions, commitments, beliefs, memories, addictions, habits etc.

I think it's also about appreciating what you've exhaled into your life. What have you finished and achieved, what stuff have you actually gotten? What have you put out there, and then seen the result of it come into your life?

And the exhale is also about what can you give back to life. Whether it's on a personal level - who can you help? What can you impart on the world around you? Or on an environmental level...having your own compost and vege patch, recycling, less waste. Or on a community level, be it as simple as getting involved in your sporting club or donating to a charity.

So what if you turned it around? What if you put more focus on the exhale?

Right now, take a deep breath in, then really focus on the exhale, emptying out your lungs completely.

And just let the inhale happen.

You don't have to make that happen - your lungs will do it automatically, you don't even have to try.

See how much power you feel when you make that exhale active? I certainly did. 

It was like I was making way for the next breath, clearing out my body completely - and then the inhale could sort of float in, bringing in the new.

So bringing that back to life now, if you take the focus off of the inhale for a while, then it's not all about what's next, what more do I need, what don't I have enough of. Not about what you can take from life.

Because really - how much stuff do we all have...and better yet, how much of it do we actually need?!


When you focus on the exhale in your life, you can focus on what you can release from your life, what you no longer need.


That could be getting rid of any possessions that you no longer need in your life.

Whether that's cleaning out the pantry, your wardrobe, the crap drawer...I've done the first two of those, and boy does it feel good! Crap drawer - you're next!

It could be simplifying your busy schedule...something else I've done in the last month. I've let go of all commitments throughout my week - so now I've got a bare week, ready to be filled with new activities...which does feel a bit odd really!

But I think I'm just going to enjoy having it to fill!

Or it could be letting go of some old beliefs or habits that no longer serve you - and just watch the difference it makes to your mental and physical self.

Geez have I had a whole bunch of that in the past few months!

Now that I've thought about this a bit more, I've realised that I've been doing a bunch of exhaling/releasing this past year, on all levels of my life...but I haven't really sat back to appreciate just how much.

Which is a great segway to my next point...

How often do you stand back, just to appreciate how great your life just as it is?

Believe me, I've got some practicing to do in this arena. As I've written about in a past blog, I love the good old Attitude to Gratitude, but it's something that I've been forgetting about lately.

And like anything, practice makes perfect. If I don't use my Gratitude muscle for a while, it gets weak and flabby!!!

I've gotten to caught up in what I don't have (and in turn how that makes me not good enough, or worthy of criticism from myself!), instead of appreciating all the fabulous things in my life.

That can be as simple as having a great night's sleep in a comfy bed, to having enough milk in the fridge for your cereal, or even just having air to inhale!

The third part of the exhale - what can you give back?

I personally love getting involved in the community. Something that I've forgotten these past few years, but am trying to bring back into my life more and more.

When I was a kid, I loved making muffins to sell at church to raise money for someone. And I loved getting involved in fundraising events - something I still love doing now. I was always more than a player at netball too, and didn't really think twice about.

I'm lucky, because my parents were/are both really active in the community through different things, so it's something that was encouraged from a young age.

And come to think of it, now that I've got spare time coming back into my schedule, I think giving back is going to rise up the list so it's part of each week.

The other thing with letting things go - then you've got room to bring in the new.

It's really not healthy to focus on more, more, more all the time. Or me, me, me.

Because if all you're trying to do is layer things, stack things, cram other things into the corner and still bring in more things...pretty soon, you're on overload.

Whether it's not having room to move in your house or head - hoarding isn't healthy!

If you're life's already full - where can the new come in?

The last great point that Denise made last night...once you've exhaled in life, what if you just step back and allow in what you need.

Like the next inhale, know that it's going to be there. Not forcing it, not going looking for it. Just trusting that what you need will be there.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this, but it definitely struck a chord with me. And I'm amazed how long this post ended up being!

Here I was at the start thinking I was going to say a few words on "instead of focusing on what you can get, focus on what you can release."

But now I've realised that the exhale is a little bit more complex than that...turns out the breath is a lot more holistic than I first thought! I love delving into stuff like this!

So now my challenge for this week is to take my focus off of the inhale/bringing in (because I've got plenty of toys I don't use already!), and to focus on the exhale/releasing/gratitude/giving.

In fact, I think I'll take it one step further...

This week, I take the time to honour the exhale.

And to finish off, I'm going to invite you to do the same thing as Denise suggested last night...

Just take a moment to ponder this, you might be interested to find what comes up.

Our incredible disappearing act!

Geez, what happened to the other half of you?


Have you lost weight?


Have you lost more weight?


Wow you're looking great - what have you been doing?

These are some of the comments both Nathan and I have been getting over the last 6 or so months.

So what's our secret? It's just one simple word...

Ayurveda.

And the big thing is - it's not just about the weight.

Yes that's the obvious external change...me losing 13kgs and Nathan losing 17kgs is definitely  noticeable...but this has been a much bigger transformation than that!

Going back almost 10 months now to July 9 - a day after my 28th birthday - I had my first appointment with a local Ayurvedia practitioner at Aspects of Healing.

People have asked why Ayurveda, and all I can say is that it jumped out so many times I finally had to do something about it!

So anyway, after a bunch of questions, my pulse being taken and sticking out my tongue, I was given the simple verdict...

I'm a Pitta-Kapha, with a Kapha imbalance.

And the explanations that followed from there absolutely hit the nail on the head!

When out of balance, a Kapha is essentially slow and lethargic, in every sense of the word.

It's the heaviest of the 3 constitutions, which translates into a heavy digestion in both mind and body.

From holding onto ideas and procrastinating, to being lazy and a couch potato in general when out of whack.

And boy did I have all of the symptoms in spades!

So just what is Ayurveda?

Well I can tell you what it's not.

It's not a fad diet, it's not about pigeon holing every person into the same category, it's not about shakes or meal replacements, and it's not about fanatical exercise.

Of course, if any or all of the above work for you, then good for you, but they've always meant nothing to me, and if anything, I think they all encourage eating disorders and self-esteem issues!

Anyway, off of the soapbox and back to Ayurveda.

It's an Indian approach to food and lifestyle and means the 'science of life'. It's all about living life to keep yourself in balance - body, mind and soul.

It's probably best to Google it for the precise explanation - but to put it in simple terms, when you're born, you're one or a mix of the 3 main types - Kapha, Pitta and Vata.

Then, depending on how you live your life, you'll either balance or imbalance your natural constitution.

Obviously the aim is to balance!

And as I said, it's more than just food - it's a true lifestyle.

I find that I'm really drawn to ancient and indigenous approaches, and so it's no surprise this really resonates with me, having been around for over 5,000 years.

It's amazing how much they knew without the wonders of modern science!

So back to what's changed...

I think the simplest way to sum it up is that I'm digesting life so much better! 

From a body perspective - cutting out wheat made a massive difference. And yes, this ex-pasta addict is now clean and loving it!

No wheat, dairy or red meat, and avoiding any sweet, sour or salty foods, means my body is no longer doing a whole bunch of work just to digest what I've eaten.

So I've got so much more energy right throughout the day - gone is the 3 o'clock chocolate/sugar craving!

This also makes a huge difference from a mind perspective. I'm so much more alert and often brimming with new ideas.

And I've noticed how more and more, I'm happy to move through ideas and change my beliefs so much more readily if they're not working for me.

Not to say that works perfectly all the time! There's still a few I hold onto...but I'm working on them!

And from a spirit perspective, I've also adopted new practices that really complement my life.

I'm still working on integrating meditation into my life, but pretty much each morning now I get up between 5 and 530 and do yoga to kick off my day. (And yes I know, I was the person who said that I didn't even know the hour of 5 existed!)

All in all, I feel sooooooo much better.

As does Nathan. We're both trying our best to keep living by this because it just makes sense for us.

Has it all been smooth sailing?

No of course not! Week 3-6 was an absolute killer - I went through so much of a battle with my ego who was trying to convince me that everything I had been doing was perfectly fine, and why should I change.

Fortunately I won the battle, and kept moving through that!

There have been other challenges along the way, and of late, I've decided to test a few things out, seemingly to just remind myself of why I don't eat certain things now.

Ie - chocolate!

Surely one little bit can't be that bad.

But then, like today I ate a Caramello Koala and remember why I don't eat chocolate now - it makes me feel gross, bloated and in general my body doesn't like it! (Sorry Mum, I don't mean to blaspheme, but chocolate and I are no longer friends!!!)

Actually, that's probably been the biggest thing to come out of all of this.

I've realised just how sensitive my body is, and the concrete link from it to my mind and spirit.

I haven't got the layers of crap covering it up anymore!

A great example is how I can now instantly see how sugar makes me go on edge - now I understand how much food would have contributed to my being at my peak with anxiety.

And while this has meant cutting out a lot of foods that used to bring me plenty of comfort, it's all been worth it (something I need to remind myself of at the moment!).

Phew that was an essay. And it's not even the half of it really!

Of course, no "before & after" is complete without photo evidence!

So here we go....I didn't have the 'glazed pork' photos handy of us about 5 years ago (when we were red, shiny and puffy!), but here's us looking well rounded in the Grampians in December 09 (you can't see it, but Nathan's tummy is just as rounded as mine!)...

And one from my best friend's wedding in October 10, only 3 months into our transformation...we've come even further since, but this is a favourite photo of mine!

Actually one last one - this is me at the wedding loving that fact that for the first time in my life, I had a flatter stomach than Lucy!!! Believe me, she's famous for it! And fair enough she had a pretty good excuse, but I'm still counting it - I wasn't even sucking in!

Anyway, if you've been searching for a food and lifestyle approach to apply to your life then I can highly, highly, highly recommend Ayurveda.

Particularly if you want one that helps you lose the layers on all levels of your being.

Nathan and I are fabulous examples of just how well it can work.

You can see the difference in our eyes alone - they sparkle with energy and life now, rather than the dull gleam of old.

In short - we love Ayurveda!

Go on...treat yourself...

This was the message I got from an Angels oracle card I pulled this morning (I'm sure I've mentioned how much I love them!)...

'When you take care of yourself, everybody benefits. Give yourself a relaxing treat today, such as a massage, sea salt bath, or pedicure."

And I thought - you know what, I will!

I've never had a pedicure before, so that jumped right out at me. And I'd also been thinking of getting one the last couple of days because I'd realised that for the first time in a long time, my feet were actually in a fit state to get one!

So this seemed like a bit of validation really.

I booked in and off I went...but not after feeling awfully guilty...should I be spending $30 on someone painting my toenails...and yes I rang Nathan to essentially get permission!!!

Well I'm really glad that I did go, because now my feet look and feel beeeeeeee-autiful! 

And it ended up being only $25 - bargain!

I've just realised that I got to tick all 3 of the relaxing boxes mentioned on the card, because I got to sit in a massage chair, with my feet in a foot spa while being pedicured...aaaahhhhhh.

This is definitely a lesson for me - I'm so happy to spend money on Nathan, it doesn't matter what it's for. But for me - it can't be a 'waste' of money.

And for some reason, spending money on treating myself to a pedicure had fallen into that category. Ha!

I think this falls nicely under one of my umbrella lessons at the moment (ok, so maybe that makes it a current subject!), that I need to learn how to put myself first.

If I don't - who else will?!

And that doesn't mean being selfish, as in doing anything at the expense of others.

It just simply means that I'm the only person who knows how I feel, and whether something feels good or bad to me.

Of late, I've been running with the crowd a bit, getting swept up in how others approach their life. And you know what - just it doesn't work so well!

So this week - I give myself permission to be me...

• To put myself first
• To do what feels right to me
• To eat and drink what's best for my body
• To rest when I need to
• To go to bed at 9.30 and get up at 5 (I know, I didn't used to know 5 existed!)
• To do yoga daily
• To be creative at home and at work

And I release the need to please others and put pressure on myself to be more...and do more...but that's another blog entirely!

Until next time - think of one treat you can give yourself this week...even if it's as simple as not doing anything one night.

And in case you need someone else to tell you it's ok - I hereby give you permission!

Check out my pretty pink tootsies...not quite foot model material, but good enough for me!!

Left foot...right foot...

No I'm not joining the army...well unless it's the army of people doing their best to follow their life purpose!

Ahem, that was a bad joke...at any rate, I watched a great YouTube clip this morning by Doreen Virtue which hit the nail on the head for me in so many ways!

So if you'd like to watch it first, then here it is...or just scroll down...



Doreen kicks off with this cracking quote from Sheldon Kopp...

I've never begun any important venture, for which I felt adequately prepared.

Booya.

This is a great segway into what in part has been hiding underneath the crab shell.

In short, I realised a couple of weeks ago that I've been a big, fat fraud! Well that's what I felt like anyway.

People would say to me 'how's study going?'...to which I'd reply 'well I'm getting there.' Which is French for 'I haven't actually opened my book or listened to a lecture since last year.'

Or they'd say 'it's so great that you're following your passion - good on you.'

And I was thinking - yep it's great. I like my job and I know where I want to go, and get super excited at the thought of it...but...

I have no idea what I'm doing!

Should I be studying? Am I doing the right course? Should I be doing more? How can I...? What if...? How do I get to...?

So instead of taking it one step at a time, I decided to stand still and wait for someone to come along with a lovely set of instructions which tell me what all of the steps are that will take me from where I am today, to fulfilling my life purpose.

I've been looking left and right for a while - but no cigar, the bus with the person on it who's giving me all of the answers in one neat little package isn't anywhere to be seen!!!

At any rate, all is definitely not lost.

While I haven't been doing any of my Cert IV this year (or Advanced Diploma, depending on how far I end up going with it!), I've been doing a world of learning in my own life!! All of which will be great for my future work.

And boy have I learnt a lot in the last couple of weeks since taking the shell off and saying 'HELP ME - I'M STUCK!!!'

In addition to some great, honest conversations with family and friends, one of the best things to happen has been my Skype session with Dr Susan Bernstein - aka a Career Reinvention Expert

(I won an hour session with her - just when I needed it! Worth over $300 just quietly!)

I asked Susan how I could move forward, and one of the first things she recommended I do was take some beautiful pens, and beautiful paper - and write down what I want to do. So that I've got it all in one place, and I can start ticking things off one at a time - starting with the easiest first!

Oh - why didn't I think of that?

I said to Susan that I've got it all written down, just in various places.

So I started by trawling through my journals and brainstorming last week...because there's more than one thing so it's not a quick excercise!

Once again, I'd definitely recommend Susan's Reinvent your Role course - it's fabulous for getting more out of your job now, and figuring out moreseo what you want.

Something that has jumped out to me from the YouTube clip as I'm typing...

Every dream can be broken down into small steps.

And I'd add that I only need to take those steps one at a time.

Something I've been forgetting about a bit of lately...yes I've definitely been showing my Generation Y'ness - I want it, and I want it all now!!!

Another bit that's jumped out...

Often people are looking for someone else to give them permission or validation to follow their purpose.

Yep, I think I've fallen into that category of late. Because I'm doing something that's "different" - so I've been on the seesaw of wanting to just fly under the radar, to being ready to explode with excitement!

So here goes...

• I give myself permission to be me...and I'm perfect just as I am!
• I give myself permission to do what feels right to me.
• I give myself permission to follow my dreams.
• I give myself permission to feel the fear...AND DO IT ANYWAY!!!
• I give myself permission to do this one step at a time...just one...then the next one.
• I give myself permission to fail.
• I give myself permission to move forward.
• I give myself permission to ask for help.
• I give myself permission to make mistakes.
• I give myself permission to be confused!
• I give myself permission to not have it all mapped out.
• I give myself permission to have faith.
• I give myself permission to succeed.
• I give myself permission to have fun with it!

Doreen's signoff, which I love...

If you're dreaming it - you can do it.

Yes I'm still a little scared, but that's not going to stop me. Woohoo - it's time to rock and roll!

It's child's play...

Tonight I jumped on the trampoline...in the dark...and it was great fun!

This came off the back of a chat with my wonderful Naturopath (not to mention a card I pulled yesterday, and one from Kylie a while back!) who suggested I do one simple thing...

Play more!!!

As I've mentioned before (and I'm pretty sure you can pick this up), I can often get caught up in the 'seriousness' of my life...and forget to go and play at recess and lunch!

So as I walked home past my primary school to my childhood home, I was thinking of all of the stuff I loved doing as a kid...

and I knew that the trambopoline was on the cards for me tonight!

If you haven't done so before, it's great fun reflecting on what you loved as a kid. It's amazing what you can remember when you get started...and how much you miss some things!

In her book 'You Are Inspired', BelindaGrace has a great activity called 'Letting your childhood dreams inspire you", which essentially goes like this...

1. Write down things you can remember loving as a child - no matter how silly they might seem.
2. Take action! Choose one thing you loved doing and find a way this week to bring the feeling back into your adult life.
3. Keep in mind - it can be in a small way! If you always wanted to climb a mountain, 
4. It's a great way to bring more meaning into your working life - as BelindaGrace says "if you can't turn your newly revived passion into a career or a business, then your existing work becomes a means to fulfilling that end."

So here's my list...as a kid, I loved...

• Melting chocolate in the microwave and eating it - thanks Jess for putting me onto that one!
• Sleep overs
• Playing UNO with 40 cards each (at least 40!)
• Christmas morning
• Netball
• Singing
• Magic
• Collecting things...soaps...stamps...
• Laughing until I cried, hiccuped or snorted Milo out of my nose!
• Climbing
• Exploring
• Coloured pens
• Using shading cloths and sandpaper to decorate
• Fags (the lollies that is)
• Jumping on the trampoline for hours
• Camping
• The Chocolate Game
• Pass the parcel
• Going to parties!
• Reading
• Dress ups
• Puzzles - particularly logic ones
• Gymnastics

I think this week, my action will be buying some pretty pens!!

Have fun writing your list! And if you're feeling brave...I invite you to share right here...

Ignore the crazy eyes - but this is me tonight in front of my trampoline!

I'm not the only one...

By the way - a quick add-on to "The plot thickens" where it suddenly dawned on me that I'd completely forgotten the most important part about affirmations...

I was listening to Hayhouse radio on the way home yesterday when the guest at the time said...

"You can't stop at an affirmation - you have to take action to change the behaviour.

 That's the step that everyone forgets.

It took me 20 years to figure that out - I was the affirmation queen!"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just laughed as I scribbled it down at the stop light - and thought yay for me, I'm so glad it didn't take me 20 years!!

Now the trick is to keep remembering!!! Well as they say - repetition always helps, so here goes...

I'm excited and inspired!

And I just wanted to share that!

It seems like my blogs for a while have been all about fixing something that's wrong or me feeling like a sad sack.

Well at the moment - I am literally buzzing with energy! 

I've had a great morning so far - yummy, healthy breakfast, yoga outside in the breeze (or winds of change I was thinking!!) and beautiful sunshine, caught the last part of a Sonia Choquette live call (I love her!), brainstormed about how I can create a better work/life balance...and it's only 11.11!

So what's inspiring me...

Change is in the air!

• My kerplunk-a-thon has brought up a bunch of stuff that I can work and change - for the better!
• And the best part is - I'm really ready to change and take action!

New beginnings are here...

• Like I said - I've been brainstorming about how best to balance work and life, and I'm looking forward to putting that into place shortly.
• I've also been brainstorming about what it is that I want to do...with my career, Live.Love.Grow., life in general - and that's so much fun! No quicker way to amp yourself up than to spend 10-15 minutes focused purely on what you love doing and things that make you happy!

I'm surrounded by fantastic support!

• Be it my ever loving and supportive husband Nathan who is always there for me and helps me no end!
• My fantastic circle of friends who are always ready and willing to listen to me ramble without judgment and offer great advice!
• The McEachen famblee who let me be me and are only a phone call / email / car trip or plane flight away!
• Hayhouse Radio - boy has it given me some great and timely advice of late!
• Not to mention Divine guidance, there's been a stack of that of late too!

I'm on the path to living my life purpose 

• I'm literally busting with ideas at the moment, and one of my goals at the moment is bringing it all together into one spot - one of the fun tasks I've got today.
• Then it's all about picking the things I want to do and taking it one exciting or challenging step at a time.
• Yes I'm a little bit afraid - but I'm also filled with excitement about putting my hand up and saying 'yep, I'm ready to do this...I'm ready to be different...make that I'm ready to be ME'!

We're making our house, our home...

• In the last week, we've pulled down the pergola and cut down a couple of trees, so it's aloha backyard and brand spanking new verandah that is coming soon (good thing we know someone who can put it up!)
• Not to mention putting the primer on the walls so it's bye bye big bird (I know you loved the yellow walls Mum, but it's time for a change - he he!!)

So it's all happiness, flowers, sunshine, butterflies, lady bugs and rainbows here!!!

I Googled rainbows and got this - pretty close I think to summing this sentiment up perfectly don't you think!

Love to you all!